In soccer, such a transfer would raise tempers: A superstar leaves his team because he no longer trusts it to succeed. A warning sign, a headline event, fodder for weeks of debate in the media. Something similar has just happened to the biotech industry, but things remain strangely quiet in the fan block of Germany’s top research – whispers at best, just whispers, but no outcry anywhere.

In a world where biotechnology has been enabling products and processes for decades, it’s time to step out from behind the technology and claim the resulting products and their value in our everyday life. It needs higher visibility and recognition of impact, moving beyond its ‘enabling’ brand which forever makes it sound like the benefits are just around the corner, rather than the existing significant economic and industrial impact.

Mediar Therapeutics (Cambridge, MA, USA), a company developing a portfolio of first-in-class therapies to treat fibrosis, announces a US$105m financing including a US$85m Series A co-led by Novartis Venture Fund and Sofinnova Partners (France). The round is further joined by Pfizer Ventures, Mission BioCapital, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Ono Venture Investment, Mass General Brigham Ventures but also from more European VCs like by Gimv together with Pureos.

Danish Teitur Trophics ApS announced the completion of a €28m Series A funding to progress drugs against several neurodegenerative diseases.

Pfizer strengthens its oncology portfolio by acquiring Seagen, the biotech specialist in antibody-drug conjugates technology.

Paris-based AI-inspired drug discovery specialist Iktos SA has closed a €15.5m financing to expand its  platform and kick-start the new CRO Iktos Robotics.

 

The charity Cancer Research UK and UCB SA collaborate on the development of two potential cures for cancer.

Noema Pharma AG receives €104m in oversubscribed Series B financing round to advance its central nervous system pipeline.

The Supervisory Board of Bayer AG has appointed Roche Pharmaceuticals CEO Bill Anderson (56) as new Chairman of the Management Board of Bayer AG with effect from 1 June 2023.

The eye disease specialist Oculis Holding AG has been listed on Nasdaq following the merger of Oculis SA with European Biotech Acquisition Corp.