Entries by Thomas Gabrielczyk

British Owlstone Medical wins ARPA-H award, but will it materialize?

Owlstone Medical, a pioneer in breath-based diagnostics from Cambridge (UK), has been awarded up to US$49.1m by the U.S. health innovation agency ARPA-H under its POSEIDON programme. The funding backs development of a synthetic-sensor MCED test capable of detecting over 30 solid tumours at Stage I using breath and urine samples, intended for at-home, over-the-counter use. But will ARPA-H be committed to funding if the restructuring of NIH and HHS in the US is moving in a different direction?

FDA approves atezolizumab–lurbinectedin for ES-SCLC

The U.S. FDA has approved atezolizumab and atezolizumab with hyaluronidase in combination with lurbinectedin as the first and only first-line maintenance therapy for adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) whose disease has not progressed after induction therapy with atezolizumab, carboplatin and etoposide.

Pharma Tariffs: US Government backtracks

After the surprising announcement of a 100% tariff on all prescription drugs imported into the United States, the US government appears to be backtracking. Within a few days, its trade policy stance towards the pharmaceutical industry has shifted fundamentally.

Genmab swallows Merus in US$8bn deal

Danish Genmab A/S has acquired the Dutch oncology specialist Merus NV for US$8bn in cash. The 41% premium over Merus’s share price at Friday is largely attributed to the bispecific EGFR x LGR5 antibody, Petosemtamab

MSD Secures Option on EVX-B3

Danish Evaxion A/S hat optionally licenced its vaccine EVX-B3.developed with its AI-Immunology™ platform to Merck, Sharp & Dohme. MSD payed UIS$7.5m upfront and offers up to US$592m in milestone payments plus royalties on net sales.

UniQure’s stocks up after AMT-130 trial win

Amsterdam-based UniQure NV’s stocks made a 240% after-hours jump at Nasdaq after the company announced its Huntington gene therapy AMT-130 met the endpoints of a Phase II study and it will apply for marketing authorisation next year. In addition, UniQure entered into a US$175m non-dilutive senior secured term loan facility with Hercules Capital and commenced a US$200m underwritten public offering of its ordinary shares to prepare a BLA in Q1 2026.