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This author has not written his bio yet.
But we are proud to say that Georg Kääb contributed 109 entries already.
Bayer AG is strengthening its ophthalmology portfolio with the acquisition of Perfuse Therapeutics for up to $2.45bn. The focus is on a Phase II candidate for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy with potential as a disease-modifying therapy.
If one follows the figures in the Swiss Biotech Report 2026, the green lights are more prominent than the red warning signals. The Swiss biotech industry continued its growth momentum in 2025 and even reached new record highs. According to the industry report presented in early May at Swiss Biotech Day in Basel, total revenue among companies classified as biotech — which in this case explicitly does not include Roche and Novartis, for example — rose to CHF 7.5 billion, up from CHF 7.2 billion the previous year. The drivers were a growing number of market-ready products and persistently strong demand for specialized CDMO services.
In the evolving landscape of drug discovery and new design, scientists and pharmaceutical innovators continually strive to develop therapies that are both highly selective and clinically effective, while addressing targets previously deemed “undruggable”. In recent years, macrocycles – a class of large, ring-shaped molecules – have emerged as a compelling solution at the crossroads between traditional small molecules and large biologics, offering a blend of high specificity, rich chemical diversity and promising pharmacological profiles.
Basel-based Windward Bio did it again and has raised another three-digit millions – $165 million to be exact – to advance a pipeline of long-acting immunology therapies—much of it sourced through in-licensing deals with Chinese partners. Its lead candidate, WIN378, is moving into Phase III, with first clinical readouts expected from 2026.
Evonik is investing €80 million in its fermentation plant in Slovakia, pushing the Group’s structural transformation forward with a major investment in biotechnology. Alongside spider‑silk proteins from Amsilk, the site is set to offer a broader CDMO portfolio for the pharmaceutical industry.
The Copenhagen-based cancer immunotherapy company IO Biotech has come to an abrupt end, marking one of the more sobering recent failures in Europe’s mid-cap biotech segment. Founded in 2019, the company had sought to position itself at the forefront of therapeutic cancer vaccines, but a decisive clinical and regulatory setback ultimately proved insurmountable.
French Generare, founded in 2023, is positioning itself at the intersection of synthetic biology and artificial intelligence by tackling what many in the sector now see as a fundamental bottleneck: the lack of genuinely novel molecular data.
Novartis is back on the acquisition trail, agreeing to buy California-based Excellergy for up to $2bn. The antibody Exl-111 is intended to strengthen its allergy pipeline and go beyond the current standard of care. The deal is part of a broader string of acquisitions aimed at systematically expanding the group’s innovation base.
The European Investment Fund has launched a new fund of funds with a target volume of €15 billion to strengthen growth financing in Europe’s technology sector. The programme is considered the largest of its kind in Europe to date and is aimed at around 100 late-stage venture capital funds.
Animal testing or organoids—this question is increasingly being answered in favour of organoids. Yet robust model systems still require further research and, crucially, validation. More large pharmaceutical companies are now pursuing this goal, whether by acquiring relevant start-ups or by establishing their own research centres, as Roche has just done in Basel.