Euro Biotechnology

Moderna Therapeutics, the secretive messenger RNA drugmaker known in part for its preponderance of massive funding raises, has struck once again.

The Cambridge, MA, company has closed yet another huge round, a $500 million haul from a wide group of domestic and international investors. New backers include the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, BB Biotech, and Julius Baer, while earlier backers like Fidelity Management & Research, Viking Global Investors, and Alexandria Venture Investments also participated. Pitchbook first published news of the financing on Thursday, which reportedly values the company at $7.5 billion.

The funding gives Moderna a staggering amount-roughly $1.4 billion in… Read more »

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UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS

The uproar following yogurt maker Stonyfield Farm’s recent Facebook video ad featuring elementary school-aged girls perpetuating GMO myths was widespread. Within hours, hundreds of consumers, farmers and scientists condemned the brand for spreading misinformation and fearmongering.

GMO Answers has posted a new blog post to their Medium page talking about the video, and how the entire incident could have been handled better.  Here’s what a company SHOULD do:

1. Lead with science & facts.Don’t exploit consumer knowledge gaps. GMOs are safe!
2. Inform consumers, don’t fearmonger.The Stonyfield video ended with the statement, “It’s important to know what’s in your food.” That’s correct. So rather than exploiting their knowledge gaps, food companies have an opportunity to help educate, using science-based information and facts.
3. Be open to skeptics & open dialogue.Whether discussing organic, conventional or GMO foods, it’s important to acknowledge consumers’ concerns and communicate with fact-based, open dialogue - banning adverse, but constructive feedback isn’t the answer.

Let’s be open to joining these conversations - even the tough ones.

If you have questions or need a resource, GMO Answers is here to help you understand GMOs and make informed food choices. We can also connect you with farmers, scientists and other biotechnology experts who can answer your questions about GMOs.

Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: BLCM) of Houston divulged Wednesday that its lead T-cell therapy program BPX-501 has been put on hold by the FDA. The treatment, for certain people undergoing bone marrow transplant, uses two components: off-the-shelf T cells to replace those killed in the transplant process, and a pill that acts as a “kill switch” if the new T cells are rejected and cause graft-versus-host disease.

The trial has been paused because of three cases of unspecified brain injuries. Bellicum described the cases as “complex” with “a number of potentially confounding factors.” It’s not clear when U.S. studies will resume…. Read more »

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UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS

[Source: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ageing/innovation/index_en.htm] Identifier: H2020-LC-SC3-2018-2019-2020Pillar: Societal ChallengesOpening Date: Deadline: Tue, 4 Sep 2018 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2018Latest information: There is currently a known issue with the submission system which should be resolved soon.

It consists of 2 warning messages which remain persistent :
1- Empty participant
2- Empty character of dependence
Please ignore them for the moment as it will not impact the evaluation of your proposal, and will not prevent you from submitting your proposal.

Gene therapy pioneer James Wilson and University of Pennsylvania colleagues sounded an alarm Tuesday morning about the use of gene therapy to treat severe diseases like spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sending a chill across the sector.

Shares of several companies inched downward as word spread about the UPenn work on Tuesday. Reached this afternoon, Wilson called for close monitoring of patients receiving high doses of a certain type of gene therapy delivered into the bloodstream.

Outside experts acknowledge that the studies were small but important. “The paper is getting the attention it deserves,” says Aravind Asokan, an associate… Read more »

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UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS

BridgeBio Pharma has launched its latest biotech startup: a company built around an abandoned Novartis cancer drug candidate that is now backed by $65 million in fresh capital.

The new company, QED Therapeutics, aims to pick up where Novartis (NYSE: NVS) left off. Novartis took the drug, infigratinib, as far as mid-stage clinical trials as a treatment for bile duct cancer. But in addition to cancer, QED also aims to develop the compound to treat a rare pediatric bone disorder characterized by dwarfism.

BridgeBio, which like QED is based in Palo Alto, CA, develops drugs by forming companies around compounds… Read more »

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UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS

[Source: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ageing/innovation/index_en.htm] Identifier: H2020-MG-2018-2019-2020Pillar: Societal ChallengesOpening Date: Deadline: Wed, 4 Apr 2018 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2018Latest information: The submission session is now available for: MG-2-1-2018(RIA), MG-2-2-2018(RIA), MG-3-2-2018(IA), MG-3-3-2018(RIA), LC-MG-1-2-2018(RIA), MG-3-1-2018(RIA), LC-MG-1-3-2018(RIA), LC-MG-1-4-2018(RIA), MG-2-2-2018(IA), LC-MG-1-1-2018(RIA)

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Aradigm’s attempt to commercialize an inhalable version of a generic antibiotic as a treatment for chronic lung infections has stalled with the FDA’s rejection of the company’s drug approval application.

Hayward, CA-based Aradigm (NASDAQ: ARDM) says it would be required to conduct another Phase 3 study of its version of ciprofloxacin (Linhaliq) in order to resubmit the application. The FDA’s rejection comes three weeks after an advisory committee to the regulator voted against recommending approval for the Aradigm drug.

Shares of Aradigm fell nearly 25 percent to $1.68 apiece following the announcement of the news on Monday.

Aradigm has spent… Read more »

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UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS

[Source: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ageing/innovation/index_en.htm] Identifier: ISFP-2017-AG-ENVPillar: Organised crime and human traffickingOpening Date: Deadline: Wed, 28 Feb 2018 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)Modification Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2018Latest information: A revised version of the Guide for Applicants has been published on 25/01/2018. The mainrevisions concern:

• Heading 3.2.2 (Application form: Part A) – Section 3: Budget – Column H (Receipts): references to financial contribution from the beneficiary/-ies and amounts necessary to balance the total eligible costs and the requested EU contribution have been deleted (see p. 14 of the Guide); and
• Heading 3.2.3 (Application form: Part B) – an example of person months calculation under Part 4 – ‘Description of work packages and activities’ has been added (see p. 16-17 of the Guide).