UK-based Heptares Therapeutics Ltd, which has drug discovery technology targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), has agreed to be taken over by Sosei Group Corporation of Japan enabling it to develop and commercialise its pipeline within a larger, global group.
Denmark-based Genmab A/S and BioNovion BV of the Netherlands have upgraded a research agreement in oncology to a full co-development and commercialisation deal in order to progress work on candidate bispecific antibody products that inhibit immune checkpoints.
Lead Pharma Holding BV, a Dutch company with a novel approach to drug discovery, has entered into a research collaboration and licensing agreement with Sanofi SA to identify small molecule compounds that moderate pro-inflammatory proteins.
Switzerland-based GlycoVaxyn AG, a specialist vaccine developer, has been sold by its venture capital investors to GlaxoSmithKline Plc in a deal that values the company at $212 million. The company’s investors include Sofinnova Partners, Index Ventures and Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners.
Novo Nordisk A/S , the largest manufacturer of diabetes products, encountered a smaller rise in revenue in 2014 for the second consecutive year as the impact of Obamacare continued to put pressure on price increase in the company’s largest market.
Ascendis Pharma A/S of Denmark has issued 6.9 million shares in the United States at $18 per share, generating net proceeds of $111.5 million. In early trading on 3 February 2015 the shares traded at $19.08 on the Nasdaq, representing a 6.0% premium.
Canada-based EnGene Inc, which has developed a gene-based technology to treat autoimmune diseases, has raised $11.5 million in a Series B investment round. The funds will be used to advance the lead product which is intended to treat ulcerative colitis.
NightstaRx Ltd, a one-year old gene therapy company, has received £5 million in new venture finance to expedite the development of a treatment for choroideremia, an inherited cause of progressive blindness. This brings total funding for the company to £17 million.
Autolus Ltd, an oncology spin-out from University College (UCL) London, has raised £30 million in a Series A financing from Syncona LLP in order to develop a new generation of engineered T cell therapies. The funding, which is significant for a start-up, reflects the expectations of the founders that the new T cell technology will revolutionise the treatment of cancer. Besides Syncona, the other founder is UCL Business Plc, the technology transfer arm of UCL.
Belgium-based Bone Therapeutics SA has announced an initial public offering of its shares on the Euronext exchange in Brussels and Paris with the intention of raising up to €28.9 million to support two pivotal studies of its lead product for the repair of bone fracture.