Entries by Thomas Gabrielczyk

Crowdfunding goes blockchain

Spanish Capital Cell continues to be a pioneer in the health crowdfunding scene and launched a new self-funding fundraising round to create the first ICO marketplace for health via Blockchain.

Determined to reduce the risk of bleeds

Analysts say Roche’s bispecific antibody Hemlibra will rock the US$15bn haemophilia A market, given that it may circumvent therapy resistance that affects the 30% of patients who form antibodies against recombinant factor VIII products. European Biotechnology spoke with Dr. Gallia Levy, Associate Group Medical Director at Roche, who led clinical development of Hemlibra.

User-driven early certainty: EPO steps back

It was too good to be true. Following harsh criticism from industry, the European Patent Office (EPO) drafted a widely applauded proposal to allow exemptions to its Early Certainty Initiative in Examination. One month later, the EPO withdrew UDEC following a recommendation from Business Europe – the only business association sitting next to decision-makers in the EPO’s Administrative Council – not to bring UDEC into force in July.

A match made in Scandinavia

Two listed Scandinavian biotech companies are about to merge into one. Medical Prognosis Institute A/S (Nasdaq First North Stockholm) in Denmark and Oncology Venture Sweden AB (Aktie Torget) in Sweden aim to create what they call a one-stop-shop for personalised cancer treatments. 

Chemspec Europe 2018 in Cologne closes with a record in visitor numbers

The 33rd edition of Chemspec Europe, International Exhibition for Fine and Speciality Chemicals, ended after two successful show days with record visitor numbers. From 20 to 21 June 2018, a total of 4,202 trade visitors came to the exhibition grounds of the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, where international experts of the fine and speciality chemicals industry met for Europe’s leading exhibition. These figures represent an increase of visitor numbers by nearly 9% compared to last year’s show in Munich.

Piglet vaccination to reduce antibiotics use

Researchers at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have developed a vaccine, diluted into drinking water, to treat diarrhoea on piglets being weaned. The vaccine is expected to reduce the global resistance problem caused by excessive antibiotic use.

EC earmarks €97.6m for Horizon

In Brussels, European Commissioners Jyrki Katainen and Carlos Moedas proposed a budget increase of 25% for the next European Research and Innovation programme Horizon Europe (2021-27) compared to Horizon 2020. Insummer, however, the EC’s High LevelGroup recommended a budget of at least €120bn.

VarmX raises €12.5m

VarmX will use the combination of a €7.5m Series A financing co-led by BioGeneration Ventures (BGV) and Dutch regional development company InnovationQuarter plus an €5m innovation credit from  the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) to develop a modified blood coagulation factor X to prevent severe bleeding in haemophilia patients.