Precision psychiatry got some love at two quite different meetings this week, the European Congress of Neuropsychopharmacology’s New Frontiers meeting and BioEurope Spring. The New Frontiers Meeting, an annual two-day meeting dedicated to cutting-edge issues in brain disease research, focused on big-picture and scientific – at times almost philosophical – questions of how to get to a classification scheme for brain disorders that aligns with the underlying biology.
Aignostics GmbH has embarked on raising a €20-€30 million (US$21.74-$32.61 million) series B round after validating its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven precision oncology platform by signing a co-development deal with Bayer AG. This is the first pharma partnership for the Berlin, Germany-based company. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Aignostics will receive an up-front payment and is eligible to receive success-based milestone payments and royalties on any commercialized therapies that result from the collaboration.
Fennec Pharmaceuticals Inc. has out-licensed its chemoprotective formulation of sodium thiosulfate, Pedmarqsi, to Norgine BV for €40 million (US$44 million) up front and up to an additional €210 million (US$229 million) in commercial and regulatory milestones. The injectable drug reduces the risk of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in pediatric patients 1 month and older with localized, nonmetastatic solid tumors.
Techbio specialist Relation Therapeutics Ltd has raised $35 million in new seed funding, bringing total seed money to $60 million, as it advances development of its in silico/wet lab platform for identifying drug targets in the non-coding parts of the genome. The company is building a “lab in the loop” system where in depth ‘omics profiles of single cells from fresh patient tissues are analyzed by its machine learning engine to uncover the genetic basis of clinical phenotypes and identify novel targets.
Thermology Health Ltd. is looking to raise £3 million to £4 million (US$3.8 million to US$5 million) to help bring its thermal imaging technology to patients to better diagnose and prevent diabetic foot ulcers, Yuval Yashiv, CEO told BioWorld. The company’s AI-driven remote patient monitoring platform measures the temperature of the skin on the foot and detects whether an ulcer is forming, thereby preventing thousands of foot amputations and significantly reducing health care costs, said Yashiv.
The U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has released a preliminary health technology assessment for three modules of the Proknow series of software systems by Stockholm-based Elekta AB, which may improve the delivery of radiotherapy services across the U.K. However, NICE indicated it wants to see more evidence regarding the impact of these software modules on radiotherapy treatment plans.
Astrazeneca plc is acquiring rare diseases specialist Amolyt Pharma SA in a $1.05 billion deal, taking ownership of eneboparatide (AZP-3601), which is in phase III development for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism. Of the total, $800 million will be paid up front, with the balance of $250 million contingent upon achievement of a regulatory milestone.
Pulsecath BV secured a CE mark under the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) for its Ivac 2L system, a percutaneous mechanical circulatory support device, four years after it began the process. “It took us four years and we spent more than €700,000 to get approval under the MDR for the same product that we already had CE mark for under the Medical Device Directive for the last 10 years or so,” Oren Malchin, CEO of Pulsecath, told BioWorld.
The European Parliament (EP) has passed the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), bringing the legislation one step closer to full passage into law, with passage by the European Council the only remaining hurdle.
Advanced Medical Solutions Group plc (AMS) signed an agreement to buy Peters Surgical SAS for up to €141.4 million (US$154.6 million). The move by AMS for the tissue repair and skin closure manufacturer is part of its strategy to buy assets which will strengthen its product portfolio and broaden its global reach.