Entries by Thomas Gabrielczyk

Nanobiotix completes €25m private placement

French cancer specialist Nanobiotix has closed a €25.1m placement of shares being issued to qualified and institutional investors in the US and Europe. The company will use to funds go push commercialisation of its lead candidate NBTXR3.

Adaptimmune raises US$42m

As cancer immune therapy specialist Adaptimmune’s R&D pipeline has expanded from 9 to 11 candidates and R&D cost rose from US$40.5m to US$63.8m, the company needed more funds.  

Menarini expands into CTC liquid biopsy

Menarini-Silicon Biosystems Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Bologna-based Menarini Group, has completed the take-over of the Cellsearch Circulating Tumour Cell System from Janssen Diagnostics. 

Janssen terminates daratumab development in NHL

Genmab A/S has announced that its CD38-targeting Phase II candidate daratumab did not reach the expected ORR in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients. Co-developer Janssen has decided to terminate development in three NHL subtypes. 

Biostep Forum: Bioeconomy strategy update uncertain

The evaluation of the European bioeconomy strategy will take longer than initially planned. According to information given at the Biostep Forum in Brussels, results won’t be available before next year and it is still unclear if there will be an update of the strategy adopted in 2012. Several upcoming expert and stakeholder meetings in 2017 will pave the way for a decision in early 2018. 

Industry criticises EPO plans

European life sciences industry associations have voiced concerns over the latest addition to the European Patent Office’s ambitious Early Certainty Initiative. While cutting the time for determining patentability to six months from filing, and streamlining the duration of the opposition procedure from 26 down to 15 months have been widely applauded, they warn that plans for a one-size-fits-all plan that limits examination time to 12 months will harm the life sciences sector. 

Selvita to cash in €90m in Menarini deal

Polish drug developer Selvita has out-licenced its first lead compound to Berlin-Chemie Menarini, a company of the Menarini Group. Ongoing clinical trails with SEL 24 will be conducted the company listed on Warsaw Stock Exchange and taken over later this year by Menarini.  

EU nations go on blocking GM crops

The EU’s opt-out clause for GM cultivation has missed its goal to accelerate EU market approval of safety-assessed genetically modified crops whilst giving member states the option to opt out from cultivation for political reasons.