Entries by Thomas Gabrielczyk

German biotech sector growing

The German biotech industry has shown tremendous growth in 2017. According to figures of BIOCOM, turnover, employees or number of start-ups – many key figures for 2017 exceeded those of the record year 2016. 

Germany to boost the bioeconomy

Shortly before the Global Bioeconomy Summit (19.-20.4.2018) in Berlin will begin, Germany’s new Research Minister Anja Karliczek announced three major initiatives to strengthen the biologisation of the industry and the foundation of innovative biotechs.

GSK pass orphan gene therapy assets to Orchard Therapeutics

British drug major GlaxoSmithKline  (GSK) has passed its orphan autologous cell and gene therapy pipeline including its EU-approved ADA-SCID treatment Strimvelis to British/US Orchard Therapeutics. GSK acquired a 19,9% equity stake in Orchard and a board membership.

Novartis enters SMA race acquiring AveXis for US$8.7bn

Swiss drug major Novartis has secured a potential stake in the multibillion dollar market of treatments for the orphan genetic muscle disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The company acquired AveXis Inc, whose SMA gene therapy AVXS-101 is in Phase III testing.

Poor investigator brochures: Resarchers call for standardisation

Human drug trials are compromised by poor reporting and potential bias of animal research. German researchers analysed more than 700 preclinical animal studies and investigator brochures provided by three medical centres. They call to establish documentation standards for IBs/preclinical dossiers.

Ose and Boehringer ink €1.1bn deal in immunoncology

French  Ose Immunotherapeutics SA has licenced global commercialisation rights of its preclinical programme OSE-172 to Boehringer Ingelheim which hopes to complement its immunoncology portfolio with a tumour microenvironment modifier that reactivates effector T cell responses.