Oxford Biotrans Ltd, a spin-out of the University of Oxford, has received £2.5 million in a Series A funding round to commercialise an enzyme technology that has application to soft drinks and confectionary as well as to pharmaceuticals.
France-based TxCell SA has raised €8 million in a private share placement to support development of its two lead cell therapy products, the first of which is in a Phase 2b study in patients with refractory Crohn’s disease. The funds will also support general R&D and manufacturing activities.
Evotec AG has deepened its commercial ties with Sanofi SA with an agreement to develop a beta cell replacement therapy for people with diabetes. The German company is already working with Harvard University on beta cell technology.
Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG has raised CHF 27.7 million (€25.79 million) from new and existing investors for the anticipated launch of Raxone, a product for the treatment of Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), an inherited form of vision loss.
CureVac GmbH is to start a third project with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this time to develop a vaccine to protect against respiratory syncytial virus. The partners are already working on vaccines against HIV and rotavirus.
Shire Plc is set to pay $300 million to acquire privately-held Foresight Biotherapeutics Inc which has a late-stage candidate drug for infectious conjunctivitis which is under investigation for both viral and bacterial forms of the disease.
Shire Plc has made an unsolicited offer valued at about $30 billion to acquire a recent spinout from Baxter International Inc which potentially could double Shire’s revenue.
A new company has been set up in the UK to acquire clinical assets that large pharma companies may not be in a position to develop further. The first programmes acquired by Mereo BioPharma Group Ltd are three mid-stage clinical assets from Novartis.
A three-year collaboration between Ablynx NV and Merck & Co. Inc in immuno-oncology has been extended by one year in order to enable the parties to investigate up to 12 new molecules targeting individual protein targets and combinations of targets that could potentially treat cancer, Ablynx announced the new agreement on 22 July.
Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd has raised £70 million through a private placement of shares with new and existing investors in the UK, US and continental Europe to support development of the company’s electronic molecular analysis systems.