Entries by Georg Kääb

Berlin: Why Start-ups Choose Bayer Co.Lab

One year after the inauguration of Bayer Co.Lab — the open workspace for start-ups in Berlin — it is time to take stock. European Biotechnology News Magazine
spoke with tenants and with Dr Ruth Shah, Head of Bayer Co.Lab Berlin, about the concept, the offering, and the feedback Bayer has received so far.

Selecting a CDMO for Custom Activated PEGs

This article examines the critical success factors for PEGylated therapies and the decision-making process for when a custom PEG may be warranted rather than an off-the-shelf solution. The essential role of a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with deep expertise in activated PEG chemistry is highlighted.
Authors: Raymond Behrendt, Silvia Kaden-Vagt, Lotfi Bouchekioua, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Millions Flow Into Captain T Cell as Berlin’s Cell Therapy Scene Defies the Gloom

The company Captain T Cell, spin-out from Max-Delbrück center in Berlin, now has a total of €20 million in funding and grants to push forward its novel cell therapies for solid tumours. New backers include Springboard Health Angels, Pluton Asset Holding, Sintra Limited and the Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen, joining the existing investor base. The new tennant in Bayer´s Co.Lab in Berlin City does starts with positive vibes.

Solid tumours meet their match

Solid tumours pose major obstacles for cell therapies, but German-American biotech T-knife is tackling them head-on. CEO Tom Soloway and CTO Elisa Kieback share how their “supercharged” TCR-Ts are engineered to overcome these challenges.

Tubulis secures €308m in record-breaking Series C financing  

Munich-Martinsried-based biotech Tubulis has closed a €308 million (USD 361 million) Series C financing round – the largest of its kind for a still existing European biotechnology company at the Series C stage and also the world’s largest financing for a private ADC (antibody–drug conjugate) developer. The attractivity lays in the technologyplatform of linking the payload.

British Owlstone Medical wins ARPA-H award, but will it materialize?

Owlstone Medical, a pioneer in breath-based diagnostics from Cambridge (UK), has been awarded up to US$49.1m by the U.S. health innovation agency ARPA-H under its POSEIDON programme. The funding backs development of a synthetic-sensor MCED test capable of detecting over 30 solid tumours at Stage I using breath and urine samples, intended for at-home, over-the-counter use. But will ARPA-H be committed to funding if the restructuring of NIH and HHS in the US is moving in a different direction?