According to the WHO, one adult in six globally is affected by infertility, but beyond this statistic, infertility is best understood as a couple’s problem, even when the underlying biology sits with one partner. The way we currently handle infertility issues is more about bypassing biology through procedure, with in vitro fertilisation (IVF) as its backbone. But while IVF is indispensable, success rates still vary, pushing biotech to step in and find new solutions.
Professor Wallhäußer Innovation Award 2026
BackgroundThe 2026 Professor Wallhäußer Innovation Award was presented during this year’s PharmaCongress & PharmaTechnica 2026 at the end of March. First place went to AstraZeneca for the project “Automated Reading of Agar Plates for Environmental Monitoring with AI”.
Kurma Partners closes Biofund IV at €215M, giving European biotech a fresh specialist pool of capital
Latest NewsKurma Partners has closed Biofund IV at €215 million, giving European biotech founders a meaningful new source of capital even though the vehicle came in below the €250 million target Kurma set when it launched the fund in October 2024. At first close, Kurma had raised €140 million and said Biofund IV would back 16 to 20 companies, building on the strategy it used in earlier funds.
Epitopea wins UK approval for therapeutic vaccine trial
Latest NewsCryptiVax-1001 is set to enter first-in-human testing in advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer, a setting with few durable treatment options.
Can biotech finally fix infertility?
Background, Latest NewsAccording to the WHO, one adult in six globally is affected by infertility, but beyond this statistic, infertility is best understood as a couple’s problem, even when the underlying biology sits with one partner. The way we currently handle infertility issues is more about bypassing biology through procedure, with in vitro fertilisation (IVF) as its backbone. But while IVF is indispensable, success rates still vary, pushing biotech to step in and find new solutions.
Roche’s fenebrutinib cuts relapses in MS amid safety concerns
Latest NewsSwiss pharma giant Roche announced that its investigational BTK inhibitor fenebrutinib sharply reduced multiple sclerosis relapses in Phase III studies. However, death imbalances cloud the picture.
UCB spends US$1.15bn on cell therapy biotech for potential regenerative epilepsy therapy
Latest NewsBelgian biopharma UCB has agreed to acquire clinical-stage biotech Neurona Therapeutics for up to US$1.15 billion, betting on a one-off cell therapy that aims to structurally repair the brains of people with drug-resistant epilepsy.
Next stage of growth with a new CEO
AppointmentsDr Deborah Jones joined the Dutch Resyca BV as CEO at the beginning of April, succeeding Remko Beimers, who has stepped down from his role.
Proteins.1 launches with €4.7m to make protein detection as easy as PCR
Latest NewsA newly launched Finnish deep-tech company has cracked the code for single-molecule protein detection. VTT-originated Proteins.1 has launched with €4.7m in pre-seed funding, aiming to stop the deadliest diseases before symptoms even appear.
Spain plants US$200m flag in Boston with debut US biotech fund
Latest NewsSpain has launched a US$200m venture capital fund anchored in Boston to help Spanish biotech companies scale in one of the world’s foremost life sciences ecosystem. The initiative includes a new trade office in Massachusetts and around US$57m in public seed capital.
Novo Nordisk is going all in on AI
Latest NewsNovo Nordisk becomes the latest major pharma player to trust the future of its drug discovery to AI. However, the Danish pharma heavyweight is going one step further: The partnership with Open AI is set to embed advanced artificial intelligence across everything from early R&D to commercial operations.