International collaboration is needed to secure living of the growing world population without collapse of the planet’s resources, biodiversity and climate. A communique published at the end of the Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS) outlines policy measures needed to create a biobased economy for all.
Swiss researchers have created a biomedical tattoo that becomes visible on the skin of mice in response to elevated levels of calcium in the blood.
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.
French Servier boosts its cancer drug portfolio acquiring Shire plcs oncology pipeline, which earned about US$260m last year, for US$2.4bn in cash.
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.
Mid last year, the company Pierre Guerin has opened a new location in Germany, Hildesheim.
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.
A public offer from orphan drug major Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. has been accepted by Wilson Therapeutics Board of Directors. Alexions SEK232/share bid would total in an acqusition price of SEK6.564bn or €638.8m.
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.