After the British people voted in favour of leaving the European Union, the industry is grappling with the profound impact this will likely have on the economy, research and politics. Representatives from biotech industry, research and policits have expressed their concerns and hopes on the upcoming Brexit.
Oncolytic viruses: Natural Born Killers
BackgroundAmgen’s Imlygic was approved last year – a move that finally added oncolytic viruses (OVs) to the healthcare toolkit. Although the treatment’s scope of application as a stand-alone therapy is limited, many are viewing the event as Ground Zero for an explosive new age in medicine. Evidence is mounting that the full potential of virotherapies can only be realised in combination with other immunotherapies, chemotherapies or small-molecule therapies. A number of other European drug developers have now jumped on Amgen’s bandwagon.
Leading commercialisation
AppointmentsTorsten Hombeck will take charge of the commercial activities and the general strategy of Promethera Biosciences. The Belgian cell therapy specialist appointed Hombeck as Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer.
An X-ray look at GPCR structure
Latest NewsUK’s Heptares Therapeutics and Paul Scherrer Institute spinoff leadXpro will collaborate to find new approaches for the determination of high-res X-ray structures of G protein-coupled receptors to find new drugs.
US growth
AppointmentsPalma de Mallorca-based Sanifit, an expert for calcification disorders, has appointed Preston Klassen as its Chief Medical Officer. Klassen will also serve as President of Sanifit’s newly launched US subsidiary in San Diego.
Partnership targets leukaemia
Latest NewsNordic Nanovector has teamed up with Areva Med to develop a treatment for leukaemia. The compound in question is a lead-212 conjugated anti-CD37 antibody.
Queenly honour
AppointmentsHarriet Fear, CEO of not-for-profit One Nucleus, has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday 2016 Honours List. The award recognises her services to the life science sector.
Biotech responds to Brexit vote
Latest NewsAfter the British people voted in favour of leaving the European Union, the industry is grappling with the profound impact this will likely have on the economy, research and politics. Representatives from biotech industry, research and policits have expressed their concerns and hopes on the upcoming Brexit.
Malin hauls in €70m from EIB
Latest NewsUK investment vehicle Malin has secured another €70m to invest in innovation and research across the European life sciences. The European Investment Bank will provide a debt facility over a period of seven years.
Heading the second Cambridge site
AppointmentsUK biotech Bicycle Therapeutics has established US operations in Cambridge (MA). Rosamund Deegan, appointed to the newly established role of President and Chief Business Officer, will be responsible for leading the company’s US business development and for establishing a team in the US.
TxCell licenses CAR-T tech
Latest NewsTxCell has jumped on its option for a licensing agreement with the Weizmann Institute of Science’s tech transfer arm after it was granted a far-reaching patent for redirected, genetically engineered T regulatory cells by the EPO.