Private biotechs in Switzerland raised CHF833 million (US$1.002 billion) in 2024, driving an overall increase in capital investment in the sector to $3 billion, up from $2.4 billion in 2023.
Nuevocor Pte. Ltd. has closed a $45 million series B, enabling it to move lead gene therapy NVC-001 into the clinic in the treatment of an inherited form of cardiomyopathy.
“We are prepared for every scenario, even though we don’t know what some of those are.” That sums up the message from executives of Astrazeneca plc, GSK plc and Sanofi SA, when quizzed during presentations of their first-quarter 2025 results this week, about the fallout if pharmaceuticals they import to the U.S. are subject to tariffs.
Nuevocor Pte. Ltd. has closed a $45 million series B, enabling it to move lead gene therapy NVC-001 into the clinic in the treatment of an inherited form of cardiomyopathy.
“We are prepared for every scenario, even though we don’t know what some of those are.” That sums up the message from executives of Astrazeneca plc, GSK plc and Sanofi SA, when quizzed during presentations of their first-quarter 2025 results this week, about the fallout if pharmaceuticals they import to the U.S. are subject to tariffs.
Off-the-shelf cancer vaccine specialist Nouscom AG announced positive final results for its lead product, Nous-209, showing there was a “highly potent” and durable immune response in carriers of Lynch syndrome, a common hereditary condition that can increase the lifetime risk of cancer by as much as 80%. The data, presented at the annual American Association for Cancer Research meeting on April 29, indicate Nous-209 elicits a cancer-preventing effect.
Argenx NV is now well on the way to establishing a Vyvgart (efgartigimod alfa) franchise in severe autoimmune diseases, after getting the nod from the EMA in the treatment of progressive or relapsing chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
Nervousness about the Trump administration’s attitude to vaccines has spurred the formation of the Vaccine Integrity Project, which has the aim of safeguarding the use of vaccines and ensuring vaccine policy “remains grounded in the best available science,” and is “free from external influence.”
“They are not zombies, they are fallen angels.” That is view of Nick Johnston, a U.K-based banker who has come up with a new plan to rescue listed companies whose market capitalizations have fallen below the cash in hand after failures in clinical development programs.
Harvard University has filed a lawsuit claiming the Trump administration’s freezing of its federal funding is unlawful and beyond the government’s authority. Announcing the move, Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, highlighted the impact of freezing $2.2 billion in grants – and the threat to freeze a further $1.1 billion – will have on the university’s biomedical research.
