Entries by Georg Kääb

Swiss-Japanese ADC player Araris expands Chugai pact with $780m licensing agreement

Zurich-based oncology biotech Araris Biotech AG has entered into a research collaboration with an option to license with Japan’s Chugai Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Roche. The aim of the partnership is to develop next-generation antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs). While Araris itself is now Japanese-owned – a wholly owned subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical, part of the Otsuka Group – its research activities remain firmly rooted in Zurich. That presence was highlighted last year when the Strüngmann brothers, German billionaire twins, awarded a prize to the company’s founders.

This Memo sticks: CSL bites in Switzerland for antibody collaboration

The Australian–Swiss plasma specialist CSL is relying on technology from Switzerland for recombinant polyclonal immunoglobulins (IgG). With Memo Therapeutics, the company has entered into a collaboration and option agreement with a total potential value of up to CHF 265 million. This is good news for Memo, while CSL, following substantial job cuts including in Marburg, could also use some different headlines for a change.

Sartorius returns to a path of profitable growth in 2025

The Göttingen-based life science group Sartorius AG closed the 2025 financial year, based on preliminary figures, with a marked increase in revenue and earnings. Group sales grew by 7.6% at constant exchange rates to around EUR 3.54 billion, while the operating EBITDA margin rose by 1.7 percentage points to 29.7%.

After a turbulent phase: a new milestone from Takeda for Heidelberg Pharma

Positive signals from a partnership with Takeda are allowing Heidelberg Pharma to push the setback from a milestone payment not received as planned from Telix somewhat into the background. Nevertheless, the company has been strongly shaken and is now hoping for calmer waters in order to drive its clinical development forward with greater focus.