Press conference by Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, and Commissioner Moedas on the 2012-2027 European Research and Innovation programmes. © Audiovisual Service of the EC

EU Commissioners Jyrki Katainen and Carlos Moedas proposed a budget increase of 25% for the next  European Research and Innovation programme Horizon Europe (2021-27) vs Horizon 2020. However MEPs said that the new moonshot research section EIC is underfunded. Furthermore, the current funding quote of 11% was too low compared to other international excellence programmes.

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Josh Muntner has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of Mesoblast. He will be based in New York.

© Biogen

Alkermes plc (Dublin) received a US$50m milestone payment from Biogen after review of preliminary Phase III gastrointestinal tolerability data of Alkermes’ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis candidate diroximel fumarate (BIIB098).

© Hoopkia Biotech AG

Austrian arenaviral vector technology specialist Hookipa Biotech AG (Vienna, Austria) has licenced its TheraT and Vaxwave technologies exclusively to Gilead Sciences Inc. to develop and globally commercialise vaccines against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

image © Walgreens

PureTech Health plc announced today that its affiliate, Gelesis, has appointed Harry Leider, MD, MBA, former Chief Medical Officer and Group Vice President of Walgreens, as Chief Medical Officer. 

Mode of action of Roche's bispecific antibody emicizumab: Hemlibra bridges blood clotting factors FIXa and FX, which is normally done by FVIIIa. © Roche

The US FDA has accepted a supplemental BLA to Roche’s existing market approval of the new hemophilia A treatment Hemlibra (emicizumab), which could significantly extend the patient group covered by the label. 

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Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC announces the appointment of Henriette Nielsen to the newly created role of Chief Transformation Officer.

The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended nine medicines for approval, including two orphan medicines, at its May 2018 meeting.

Picture: loneroc/shutterstock.com

Despite seemingly insurmountable environmental challenges ahead and the many ‘successes’ flaunted by big biorefinery projects, the wider business community remains stubbornly sceptical about developing business within the bio-based paradigm. Now policymakers are pushing financiers to take a bigger stake in its success. New efforts are underway to drive private investment in bioeconomy ventures.

Picture © Sygnature Discovery

Sygnature Discovery, thas appointed Dr Bill Marathias as Vice President of Business Development for the US to assist with the company’s international growth plans.