Europe Biotech Sector Superb At Science But Still Scared To Take Risks

Europe Biotech Sector Superb At Science But Still Scared To Take Risks

 
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Medixci’s Nick Williams told attendees at BIO-Europe that it was a shame that promising biotechs head to the NASDAQ as soon as possible. He and called for a change in culture from investors and for them to back the continent’s start-ups with proper funding.

Volastra Aims To Terminate Cancer Relying On Chromosomal Instability

Volastra Aims To Terminate Cancer Relying On Chromosomal Instability

 

Emerging Company Profile: Volastra is testing two KIF18A inhibitors in early clinical trials in ovarian cancer, backed by investors like Polaris Partners and ARCH Ventures.

Ottimo Pharma Emerges With An Ex-Seagen CEO And A PD1/VEGF Bispecific Contender

Ottimo Pharma Emerges With An Ex-Seagen CEO And A PD1/VEGF Bispecific Contender

 

It is chasing Summit and other companies in the PD1/VEGF field, but Ottimo’s CEO David Epstein believes it has a unique drug design – plus a clear plan for a big pharma buyout

Merck Acquires Modifi And Preclinical Assets For GBM, Other Cancers

Merck Acquires Modifi And Preclinical Assets For GBM, Other Cancers

 

The deal, potentially worth more than $1.3bn, includes Modifi’s MGMT-targeting technology, which it hopes can provide a biomarker-based approach for glioblastoma multiforme.


The Preclinical IPO Comeback Continues With Septerna’s $158m Goal

The Preclinical IPO Comeback Continues With Septerna’s $158m Goal

Septerna’s plans shows companies are once again daring to undertake IPOs without Phase I data – though share movements this year show many face a rough ride on the public markets.

Seraxis Takes Its Islet Cell Tech Into The Clinic

Seraxis Takes Its Islet Cell Tech Into The Clinic

 

Emerging Company Profile: The Maryland-based biotech is working on a functional cure for type 1 diabetes that is similar to Vertex’s VX-880 – but with some key differences.

VC Funding Dips In Q3, But 2024 Already Bests Full-Year 2023

VC Funding Dips In Q3, But 2024 Already Bests Full-Year 2023

 
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Data from Evaluate show that biopharma venture capital investment fell from $7.95bn in Q2 to $6.59bn in Q3, but both outpaced every quarter in 2023 as the financial market recovery continues.

Still Looking For A Gene Therapy Hit, Syncona Backs Purespring In IgA Nephropathy Market

Still Looking For A Gene Therapy Hit, Syncona Backs Purespring In IgA Nephropathy Market

 

Purespring has just raised $105m from an investor syndicate who are betting it can develop the first gene therapy for kidney disease and learn from setbacks experienced in the space.


We Built This City: Maraganore’s Latest Start-Up Aims For Smaller RNAi Drugs

We Built This City: Maraganore’s Latest Start-Up Aims For Smaller RNAi Drugs

 

Emerging from ARCH, City Therapeutics has launched with $135m in series A funding and the Alnylam founder as its executive chairman.

Judo Bio Emerges With $100m To Deliver siRNA Therapeutics To The Kidney

Judo Bio Emerges With $100m To Deliver siRNA Therapeutics To The Kidney

 
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Judo Bio, incubated for three years by Atlas Venture to deliver siRNA and other genetic medicines to the kidney, came out of stealth mode with $100m and new CEO Rajiv Patni.

Vicore ASPIREs To Be Major IPF Player As Sanofi Jumps Onboard

Vicore ASPIREs To Be Major IPF Player As Sanofi Jumps Onboard

 
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The Swedish company is well positioned, and well financed with a bit of help from the French major, to push its idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis hopeful buloxibutid closer to the regulatory finishing line.

Finance Watch: More Than $4.2bn Raised Across Four New VC Funds

Finance Watch: More Than $4.2bn Raised Across Four New VC Funds

 
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Private Company Edition: ARCH raised more than $3bn for its eighth fund, Frazier added $630m to its public fund that also can back crossover rounds, DCVC’s third biotech fund totaled $400m and Asabys raised €180m ($200m) for its second fund. Also, Aktis closed a $175m series B round. 


BMS Inserts Cash Into Prime Medicine’s Gene-Editing Ambitions

BMS Inserts Cash Into Prime Medicine’s Gene-Editing Ambitions

 

An upfront payment of $110m from BMS has come just in time for Prime Medicine, but its real test will be the first Phase I data, expected early next year.

Early Data In Hand, Vesper Bio Takes On GSK And Alector

Early Data In Hand, Vesper Bio Takes On GSK And Alector

 

Emerging Company Profile: Danish group Vesper Bio is advancing an oral sortilin inhibitor in frontotemporal dementia, and is aiming to get to market in a similar timeframe to its much larger rivals.    

Finance Watch: Vicebio Adds To 2024’s Mega-Round Total With $100m Series B

Finance Watch: Vicebio Adds To 2024’s Mega-Round Total With $100m Series B

 

Private Company Edition: Vicebio plans to take a combo vaccine into Phase I with its $100m series B venture capital round. Also, Nura Bio raised $68m to boost its series A total to $141m and George Church-founded GC Therapeutics launched with $75m, among other recent VC deals.

MBX, Zenas And Bicara IPOs Generate Big First Day Returns, But Will They Last?

MBX, Zenas And Bicara IPOs Generate Big First Day Returns, But Will They Last?

 
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MBX, Zenas and Bicara delivered positive returns in their first days of trading, but that has not always translated to good long-term results for drug developers that launched US IPOs this year.


Finance Watch: Bain Capital Raises $3bn For Fourth Life Sciences Fund

Finance Watch: Bain Capital Raises $3bn For Fourth Life Sciences Fund

 
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Private Company Edition: Bain will invest across private and public drug, device, diagnostic and tool companies. Also, Candid debuted with $370m in initial funding, Superluminal closed a $120m series A round, PanTera raised €93m ($102.4m) in series A cash and F2G brought in $100m.

Finance Watch: Summer Ends, But Fundraising Heats Up For ArsenalBio, Vaxcyte

Finance Watch: Summer Ends, But Fundraising Heats Up For ArsenalBio, Vaxcyte

 
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ArsenalBio closed one of the largest VC rounds so far in 2024, raising $325m in series C funding, while Vaxcyte grossed $1.3bn in a follow-on offering. Also, Circle Pharma closed a $90m series D round and Jazz priced an $850m note sale, but IN8bio revealed a prioritization plan and job cuts.

HAYA To Complement Lilly’s Metabolic Disease Efforts With Long Non-Coding RNA

HAYA To Complement Lilly’s Metabolic Disease Efforts With Long Non-Coding RNA

 
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HAYA, a pioneer in lncRNA, is teaming up with Lilly to discover novel targets and programmable RNA therapies for obesity and metabolic disorders.

Bayer Returns To Cancer Drug In-Licensing With NextRNA Deal

Bayer Returns To Cancer Drug In-Licensing With NextRNA Deal

 

Oncology is key to the German group’s turnaround plans and an early-stage licensing pact with NextRNA is the first cancer deal by its new business development leader.