Sevan Habeshian & Christian Heinis et al. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31428-In the evolving landscape of drug discovery and new design, scientists and pharmaceutical innovators continually strive to develop therapies that are both highly selective and clinically effective, while addressing targets previously deemed “undruggable”. In recent years, macrocycles – a class of large, ring-shaped molecules – have emerged as a compelling solution at the crossroads between traditional small molecules and large biologics, offering a blend of high specificity, rich chemical diversity and promising pharmacological profiles.
Getty Images, for Unsplash+Basel-based Windward Bio did it again and has raised another three-digit millions – $165 million to be exact – to advance a pipeline of long-acting immunology therapies—much of it sourced through in-licensing deals with Chinese partners. Its lead candidate, WIN378, is moving into Phase III, with first clinical readouts expected from 2026.
Cytospire Therapeutics has raised a £61 million (€71 million) Series A round, positioning the British biotech to advance pan-gamma-delta T-cell engagers (TCEs) into cancer clinical trials.
Belgian biopharma UCB has moved quickly from testing the waters in autoimmune T-cell engagers to making one of the largest bets yet on the modality, agreeing to acquire San Diego-based Candid Therapeutics for up to US$2.2bn.
Planet Volumes via Unsplash+Can in‑space manufacturing help cancer patients take complex medicines at home? For a technology that aims to do just that, UK‑based BioOrbit has just raised £9.8m (around €11.3m) – the “world’s largest” seed round of for in‑space manufacturing.
ValnevaValneva SE, the French specialty‑vaccine developer, has completed an €84m reserved offering, adding a useful cash buffer just as the group enters a high‑risk window for its Lyme disease and shigellosis‑vaccine candidates.
ServierWith the launch of Servier Ventures announced in January and a €200 million commitment to biotech investment, Servier is stepping up its engagement in early-stage innovation in oncology and neurology. European Biotechnology Magazine spoke with Alexis Vandier, Global Head of Servier Ventures, about the fund’s strategy, investment focus, and Europe’s role in the global biotech ecosystem.
Paris Bilal via Unsplash+Italian pharma group Chiesi has struck a near‑US$1.9bn deal to acquire KalVista Pharmaceuticals, bringing the US biotech’s first‑in‑class oral treatment for hereditary angioedema into its rare‑disease portfolio.
A. C. via Unsplash+Belgian Coultreon Biopharma has raised US$125m in a big‑pharma‑backed Series A round to push its first‑in‑class SIK3 inhibitor into Phase II after an ongoing Phase I programme in autoimmune disease
Pic by masakazu sasaki via UnsplashPan-European private‑equity firm Astorg has agreed to acquire Thermo Fisher Scientific’s global microbiology business for about US$1.08bn, carving it out into a standalone platform focused on antimicrobial susceptibility testing and microbiology diagnostics. The investment is being made through Astorg VIII, the firm’s latest flagship buy‑out fund.