Entries by Georg Kääb

Fresenius turns to WuXi to add up to 37 biosimilars to its pipeline

Fresenius has secured options on 37 biosimilars from WuXi Biologics, significantly expanding its biopharma ambitions through a development agreement. The deal comes as numerous high-selling biologics approach the end of their patent protection and biosimilars could become an important tool for health care systems to contain costs. Fresenius aims to double its biosimilar revenue to nearly €2 billion, bringing Sandoz’s league at least within sight.

TME Pharma returns to its roots, looks to Japan to rescue NOX-A12

From Berlin biotech NOXXON through a strategic realignment and considerations of cryptocurrency investments, and now back to drug development: TME Pharma has found a potential partner for its lead drug candidate NOX-A12 in Japanese biotech company TMS. For now, however, the companies are only entering exclusive negotiations. Whether these will actually lead to funded clinical development remains uncertain.

Molecular Partners halves its workforce — is money running short?

Swiss DARPin specialist Molecular Partners is shifting its entire focus to radiopharmaceuticals and plans to cut up to 55 jobs. According to the company, its cash reserves will last until the end of 2027. But behind the strategic overhaul lies an increasingly strained financial position. Its broad pipeline is likely to require much stricter prioritization.

Immatics shows off its PRAME bispecific data at ESMO 2026

Germany-based cancer immunotherapy specialist Immatics presented updated clinical data for two PRAME-targeted drug candidates at the ESMO Congress 2026 in Madrid. Particularly striking is the survival signal for the bispecific T-cell engager IMA402: In a subgroup of patients with advanced melanoma and high PRAME expression, 91% were still alive after one year. Median overall survival had not yet been reached at the time of analysis.

Qiagen agrees to go private with €10.8B takeover by EQT

Swedish private equity firm EQT wants to acquire diagnostics specialist Qiagen for €10.8 billion, or €46.50 per share. The company’s leadership unanimously supports the sale. Completion is planned for mid-2027 if more than 50% of shareholders agree.

$15 billion deal: Roche bets on China — and questions Germany’s future

The Swiss pharmaceutical group has agreed to another, deeper ADC partnership with China’s Hansoh Pharma, with potential milestone payments exceeding $15 billion. The deal comes amid mixed developments: While China wants to do more to protect its biotech technologies from flowing abroad, Roche’s new investment decisions in Germany are on hold for now.

Merck to buy siRNA specialist Silence Therapeutics for $1.3 billion

Merck KGaA is acquiring British biotech company Silence Therapeutics for $1.3 billion. The main value driver is an siRNA candidate for polycythemia vera. But the research platform and Berlin site are also part of the package. The deal is another sign that RNA interference is moving beyond a specialist technology into the broader pharmaceutical business. With a premium of 82% over the 30-day volume-weighted average share price, Merck is setting hearts racing in the siRNA community.

CSL backs Swiss Alentis’ claudin-1 bet with up to $1.6bn deal

Australian biopharma company CSL has entered an exclusive global partnership with Basel-based Alentis Therapeutics to co-develop and co-commercialize lixudebart, an investigational antibody targeting claudin-1. CSL will pay Alentis $355 million upfront and the Swiss biotech is eligible for up to another $1.2 billion in commercial milestone payments. Once the drug reaches the market, global profits will be split 55% to CSL and 45% to Alentis. What is the deal all about?

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Immunic CEO: “We want to understand MS patients better than anyone”

Immunic is preparing to transition from a late-stage development biotechnology company into a fully integrated commercial organization focused on multiple sclerosis (MS). At the center of its strategy is vidofludimus calcium, an oral therapy being developed for relapsing and progressive MS. European Biotech spoke with Immunic’s CEO Erik Lundgren about the company’s clinical trials and commercial ambitions, the role of neuroprotection and why he believes the next major opportunity in MS may lie beyond relapse control.