Bacterial antigen mimicry drives MS
T cells target a bacterial variant of a human enzyme promoting autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Sitryx Therapeutics bags $30m in Series A Financing
Oxford-based immunoncology player Sitryx Therapeutics Ltd. (Oxford, U.K.) has bagged $30m in a Series A financing round led by SV Health Investors and new investor Sofinnova Partners. Longwood Fund and GlaxoSmithKline plc participated in this financing.
Orchard plans to raise US$172m in ADS
British gene therapy developer Orchard Therapeutics will go IPO on Nasdaq, according to SEC filings. The company plans to raise $172.5m as ADS in an IPO underwritten by J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Cowen and Wedbush PacGrow to balance its costs, which rose from US$13m to US$138m this year. Financial markets are expected to react positively.
Sphingotec raises 20m in growth equity financing
Diagnostics company sphingotec GmbH successfully closed a 20m growth equity financing round led by international specialist investors HBM Healthcare Investments, HBM BioCapital II LP (HBM) and Wellington Partners.
Sanofi and Evotec launch drug discovery PPP
Evotec and Sanofi have launched a Public Private Partnership (PPP) aimed at partnering with academic groups in early stage drug discovery across multiple therapeutic areas.
Roche providing improved anti-Her2 bispecific antibody
Researchers at at VHIO in Barcelona, Spain, and Roche in Schlieren have presented a bi-specific antibody that prevents the side effects of HER2-targeting compounds.
Forbion closes Life Sciences VC Fund at 360m
Life Sciences venture capitalist Forbion has closed its new flagship fund, Forbion IV, at 360m, 90m above its original target of 250m.
BIOSPAIN expanding
Matured, diversified and willing to expand this is how the Spanish biotech sector presented itself during BIOSPAIN 2018 in Seville. Andalusia has launched the first bioeconomy policy strategy in Spain.
Minoryx bags 21.3m Series B financing
Barcelona-based Minoryx Therapeutics announced during BIOSPAIN 2018 it has raised another 21.3m in a Series B financing bringing its assets to a total of 50M.
PD-1+ T cells trigger pulmonary fibrosis
A team of researchers from the US and the UK have found that CD4-positive T cells harboring the PD-1 immune checkpoint protein can promote excessive connective tissue formation in lung cells.