Avelumab, Merck KGaA’s and Pfizer’s Phase III checkpoint inhibitor, has been granted Priority Review from the US Food and Drug Administration in urothelial carcinoma patients who progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.

The times in which biotechs dominate the orphan drug market are over. A report from business intelligence provider Evaluate Ltd. concludes that only three in ten OD developers are still biotech SMEs.

Henrik Luessen is taking over as Chief Business Officer at Promethera Biosciences SA, Belgian developer of cell-based meds. He will be responsible for identifying and executing strategic corporate development initiatives and licensing agreements.

Lund-based probiotics expert Probi AB has appointed Jörn Andreas as new CFO. He will replace Niklas Brandt, who in turn will take over responsibility for IT infrastructure and IR as CIO. 

Around 130 antibiotics experts joined the 10th Berlin Conference on 24th February to highlight high dynamics of European AMR activities. 

Swedish cancer med developer Oncopeptides AB has raised SEK649m (€68m) in an IPO at Nasdaq Stockholm.

Several promising antibiotic candidates, developed by ENABLE and its partners, are rapidly approaching the pre-clinical development stage. The European consortium is now seeking new partners to proceed with non-clinical studies.

BaseLaunch, a new life sciences accelerator in Basel, has been kicked off. Its mission: to bring the most promising healthcare projects and ventures to Europe’s leading life sciences hub.

While governments worldwide discuss to pay premiums to pharma companies offering novel antibiotics that fight multiresistant pathogens, Roche has extended  its discovery deal with British Discuva Ltd.

Pfizer’s Cyprus Business Manager Kyriakos Mikellis has been re-elected for the next two years as president of the Cyprus Association of Research and Development Pharmaceutical Companies (KEFEA).