Biotechnology News Australia

German immunotherapy expert BioNTech AG has partnered up with Europe’s largest engineering company Siemens to construct a manufacturing site for BioNTech’s personalised cancer vaccine.

Bioelectronic research

Swedish scientists have created artificial neurons that are capable of mimicking the function of human nerve cells. The researchers hope that, once minituarised, they may one day be used to restore disturbed neural function.

Financing

Cosmo Pharmaceuticals is floating its majority-owned subsidiary Cassiopea at the Swiss Stock Exchange, with the aim to raise between CHF150m and CHF200m.

Event

For the 31st time, the ACHEMA has drawn the global chemical engineering and the process industry to Frankfurt. Although still overshadowed by petrol, the biobased economy is getting ready to step out into the limelight.

At the BIO convention in Philadelphia, the biotech industry celebrates new gene and cell therapies, and hails its unlikely superheroes.

Research

Northern Ireland’s biopharma Almac Discovery is partnering up with Roche subsidiary Genentech in a two-year joint research programme to discover and develop cancer treatments.

M&A

The high-potential cancer immunotherapy market is fiercely fought, and small companies have trouble making their mark. Nordic companies Targovax and Oncos have joined forces to create a Nordic immuno-oncology champion named Polaris.

Biofuel

St1 Biofuels has expanded beyond the Finnish borders and opened a bioethanol plant in Sweden. The plant will convert leftovers and waste from bakeries to biofuel.

Monsanto plans to acquire Syngenta AG, but seems reluctant to dig deep into its pockets. The Swiss crop chemical maker has now rejected the second offer from the US company.

Innovation

Polish drug maker Polpharma has received a €45m loan from the European Investment Bank to further its biosimilar research. The operation is part of InnovFin, a new programme set up to support innovative research.