Entries by Thomas Gabrielczyk

Novartis in US$170m licence deal with Spark Therapeutics

Novartis AG has strengthened its ophtalmology portfolio by acquiring a licence for Spark Therapeutics’ voretigene neparvovec (Luxturna), an FDA-approved gene therapy that corrects mutations in RPE65, which leads to juvenile blindness in homozygotous carriers.

Protein keeps breast cancer metastases at bay

Spanish researchers have identified a protein that keeps breast cancer stem cell in a dormant state preventing them from forming metastases. A German team found an endothelial receptor protein that prevents dormant micrometastases in the blood to invade tissue.

Seventure Partners joins US$35m round into Zipongo

Venture capital firm Seventure Partners has joined a US$35m Series B Round in Digital Nutrition Platform Zipongo. The US$9m invested into the Californian company comes from Seventures’ €160m Health for Life Capital fund, the premier fund dedicated to the expanding microbiome and nutrition space. 

European bioeconomy entering the next level

A series of high-level conferences held in autumn and winter focused on current challenges to implementing an industrial scale bioeconomy in Europe. In November, the European Commission unveiled a new stock-take of progress in its Bioeconomy Strategy, ahead of an official revision planned in 2018. In a manifesto, stakeholders demand a holistic policy framework. 

Sanofi takes over Bioverativ in US$11.8bn deal

Seven years after the acquisition of Genzyme, French drug major Sanofi has added another orphan drug player to its portfolio. The company agreed with the management of US blood disorder expert Bioverativ to pay US$11.6bn in cash, a 64% premium on the company’s share price. 

Tamper-resistant labels

Serialisation dominates the discussion about how to implement the Falsified Medicines Directive (2011/62/EU). However, to meet the February 2019 deadline, companies must also pay attention to the second required safety feature: the anti-tampering device. The use of tamper-evident labels is widespread. But beware! There are many challenges associated with these popular tamper-evident devices.

Novel blood test detects eight cancers

Italian, US and Australian researchers have used a blood screening test to detect cancer in patients with 8 different cancers whose tumors had not yet spread. Its sensivity is among the best performances yet for a universal cancer blood test.