Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (AMT) N.V'.s bid to become the first Western biotechnology firm to gain a gene therapy approval suffered a second rebuff, as the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) stood over its original negative opinion on a marketing authorization application for Glybera (alipogene tiparvovec), which is in development for the ultra-rare indication lipoprotein lipase deficiency.

Start-up vaccine developer Hookipa Biotech GmbH closed a $9.6 million Series A round to further develop its Vaxwave platform, which the company is touting as a new approach to vaccine development.

Although European scientists have long cast envious glances at the better funding and better facilities available to their U.S. counterparts, a new analysis by the European Medical Research Councils (EMRC) claimed that European biomedical research has overtaken that of the U.S. in volume terms, even though it lags behind the U.S. significantly in terms of spending.

Creabilis SA raised €15 million (US$20 million) in a Series B round to advance a pipeline of three compounds in development for dermatology, inflammation and pain indications.

Creabilis S.A. raised €15 million (US$20 million) in a Series B round to advance a pipeline of three compounds in development for dermatology, inflammation and pain indications. (BioWorld International)