German immuno-oncology play BioNTech has entered into a collaboration with Roches Genentech to develop novel mRNA-based, individualised cancer vaccines. The deal will net BioNTech €278m.
Prexton Therapeutics is taking aim at Phase II: The Swiss company happily presented results for its Phase I trial of its mGluR4 positive allosteric modulator in Parkinsons Disease, saying the first-in-class compound proved to be safe and well tolerated.
Denmarks Novozymes has acquired microbial research company Organobalance GmbH. The German company owns a large collection of microbial strains, some of which date back to the 1920s, and has strong capabilities in microbial screening and assay technology.
14.09.2016 – The summer slump on the stock markets is over: AC Immune has confidently priced its long-awaited Nasdaq IPO. The Swiss Alzheimers specialist is expecting to raise up to US$68m (€60.5m) overseas.
13.09.2016 – Diabetes major Sanofi is joining forces with Verily – formerly Google Life Sciences – to launch Onduo. The joint venture will develop a comprehensive diabetes management platform.
09.09.2016 – iBionexts healthcare VC fund iBionext Growth has announced a first closing of €46m. All in all, iBionext aims to take in around €100m to reinvest in biotech and medtech companies.
07.09.2016 – Furniture giant Ikea and renewables expert Neste have joined forces to deliver bio-based plastics based on Neste’s bio-based polymer. The partners urge other companies to join the initiative.
06.09.2016 – DBVs needle-free patch technology is being put to the test in a a proof of concept trial for a pertussis vaccine developed by BioNet-Asia. Researchers from the Geneva University Hospital are supervising the study.
05.09.2016 – Why do people grow old? Italian researchers took a close look at centenarians and found that low levels of the peptide hormone Adrenomedullin may significantly contribute towards good microcirculation and thus longevity.
01.09.2016 – The causes of Alzheimer’s disease are still largely unknown. But now, an antibody developed by the University of Zurich has significantly reduced the brain amyloid plaques typical for Alzheimers Disease in a Phase Ib clinical trial.