Entries by Thomas Gabrielczyk

Sensorion raised €60M backed by €20M from Sanofi to advance gene therapies for hearing loss

French biotech company Sensorion announced today a €60 million (about $72 million) reserved offering including a €20 million strategic investment from Sanofi. The remaining €40 million subscribed by existing shareholders Redmile Group, Artal (advised by Invus), and Sofinnova Partners, alongside new investors including Cormorant Asset Management, Coastlands Capital, and Sphera Healthcare, which are leading US Healthcare Specialists funds.

China again: Boehringer turns to Shanghai for IBD bispecific

Boehringer Ingelheim is continuing its international shopping tour for innovative drug candidates – and once again ends up in China. The German pharmaceutical group has entered into a licensing and development partnership with Shanghai-based Simcere Pharmaceutical Group to advance a novel bispecific antibody for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Dresden biotech Seamless lands up to $1.1B Eli Lilly deal for gene therapy hearing loss

Dresden-based experts in sequence-precise gene repair, Seamless Therapeutics, have secured a heavyweight partner. The company has entered into a global research collaboration with the world’s largest pharmaceutical company by market cap, Eli Lilly, to apply its technology platform of specific recombinases to the development of gene therapies for hearing loss. For Seamless, the collaboration could generate total funding of up to USD 1.1 billion if milestones are successfully achieved.

From cell therapy to combat rifles: Genenta bets its future on becoming Italy’s national-security dealmaker

Few biotech pivots are as jarring as Genenta’s latest move.

The Milan-based company, which went public in late 2021 on the promise of a novel cell-based gene therapy platform, is now effectively abandoning the single-asset biotech playbook. Instead, it wants to become something far closer to a holding company for defense, aerospace, cybersecurity, and national-security assets, starting with a manufacturer of tactical rifles.

After decades in biotech, Gimv draws a line under new life sciences deals

Belgian investment company Gimv is drawing a clear line under one chapter of its history. The firm announced via a press release that it will stop making new investments in life sciences and instead focus on four core platforms: consumer, healthcare, smart industries and sustainable cities, alongside its long-term investment program Anchor. The board framed the move as part of a sharper focus on long-term priorities and growth opportunities linked to digital transformation.