Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB shares (STO:SOBI) fell 25% Dec. 3 as investors behind Agnafit Bidco AB, previously poised to pay about SEK72.17 billion (US$7.97 billion) for the company, withdrew their bid as shares tendered fell just short of the 90% needed to complete the deal. The bid was seen as likely to succeed after Investor AB, which owns 35% of the capital and votes in the company, commonly called Sobi, supported it. However, with only 87.3% of outstanding shares tendered as of Dec. 3, Agnafit decided to drop the offer, foregoing further extension of the acceptance period, which was earlier extended by ten days to Nov. 26 in hopes of collecting enough support.

LONDON – Each of six different COVID-19 vaccines given as booster doses were safe and increased immunity when administered after two doses of either Pfizer Inc.’s or Astrazeneca plc’s vaccine, according to the latest data from the U.K. Cov-Boost trial.

PARIS – Peters Surgical SAS is being sold off. Its majority shareholder, Eurazeo Small-mid buyout, the investment arm for small and medium-sized enterprises at Eurazeo SE, has been preparing Peters Surgical for sale for the last five months. Investment banks DC Advisory and Allinvest are currently engaged in the sale of the company. This round is part of a divestment program at Eurazeo. Interestingly, disposals finalized since the beginning of the year have tripled, reaching $3.5 billion. The Eurazeo group, with a market cap of $6.65 billion on the Euronext Paris stock exchange, is pursuing its ambitious asset disposal program in a buoyant environment.

Memed Diagnostics Ltd. has published new data from an EU Commission funded clinical trial evaluating its blood test for differentiating bacterial and viral infections. The prospective, multicenter cohort study, titled “AutoPilot-Dx,” was carried out in emergency wards in Italy and Germany. The goals of the study were to validate the performance of Memed’s BV test in a broad pediatric population with respiratory tract infections or fever without source and estimate its potential to impact antibiotic use.

PARIS – Diagnostic Medical Systems SA (DMS) is spinning off its medical imaging division into Asit Biotech NV. This agreement, between two firms listed on the Euronext exchange, involves French med-tech company DMS merging its flourishing medical imaging business with the Belgian biopharmaceutical firm and acquiring a controlling stake in the company.

The U.K. National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued two health technology assessments dated Nov. 24, including one that gives a guarded recommendation for devices used to narrow the coronary sinus as a treatment for refractory angina. Neovasc Inc., of Richmond, British Columbia, touted the news as a positive for its Reducer device, given that this is the first instance in which NICE has lent any support for a device to treat the condition.

PARIS – Pcube-Lab BV has closed a $4.75 million funding round to deploy its eye tracking technology, Neuroclues, in Europe and the U.S. This technique helps with early diagnosis of neurological disorders such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) pumped €15 million (US$17 million) into Xeltis BV to accelerate clinical programs for its polymer-based technology platform for cardiovascular restoration. The Eindhoven, Netherlands-based company is developing three types of cardiovascular implants. These are a pulmonary heart valve, coronary artery bypass graft and hemodialysis access grafts. The devices use a therapeutic approach called endogenous tissue restoration (ETR), which causes the patient’s own body to naturally restore a new blood valve. As the patient’s healing system develops a functional valve, Xeltis’ implant is gradually absorbed by the body.

Fujirebio Europe NV launched two new cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-based immunoassays for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) on its Innotest platform. It’s the first product launch for the company following a collaboration agreement signed with Adx Neurosciences NV in September 2020. The assays will test for neuronal pentraxin-2 (NPTX2) and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (STREM2). Both neurology biomarkers are linked to synaptic dysfunction and neuroinflammation which are considered core features of AD progression. Fujirebio said the new tests will support existing research for AD drug development.