DUBLIN – Enyo Pharma SAS closed a €22 million (US$24.4 million) series A round to move its lead drug, EYP001, into clinical development in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the coming months.

DUBLIN – The Pierre Fabre Group is establishing an open innovation initiative to tap into research and clinical or preclinical development projects in three key areas, in order to bolster its pipeline as well as Europe's drug development ecosystem.

DUBLIN – Inflarx GmbH hit the primary endpoint of a phase IIa trial of its first-in-class complement 5a-targeting antibody, IFX-1, in a trial of 72 intensive care unit (ICU) patients with early stage sepsis-associated organ dysfunction.

DUBLIN – Vasopharm GmbH raised €20 million (US$21.7 million) in a new funding round to take its lead molecule, VAS203, into a European phase III registration trial in traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study is due to begin in the coming months and is due to read out in 2019.

DUBLIN – Abingworth has raised $105 million for its first dedicated clinical co-development fund, which will extend its focus on putting up cash to help big pharma progress its pipeline without damaging its all-important P&L line.

DUBLIN – Faced with the high cost of completing phase III development for its Parkinson's disease drug, tozadenant (SYN115), Biotie Therapies Oyj opted to fold now and agree to a $363 million cash bid from Acorda Therapeutics Inc., rather than hold out in the hope that its value would rise later on the back of positive data.

PARIS – French regulators are investigating a phase I trial of small-molecule candidate BIA 10-2474 after one volunteer was pronounced brain dead and five others hospitalized with identical neurological symptoms at the University Hospital Center of Rennes in France, in what appears to be the worst clinical disaster since 2006's phase I study of monoclonal antibody TGN1412 put six healthy volunteers into intensive care.

DUBLIN – Italy's most successful biotech entrepreneurs are combining their skills and experience in a newly formed angel investor network, Italian Angels for Biotech (ITAB), which aims to support the emergence of a new generation of start-ups in Italy.

DUBLIN – Publicly listed European biotechnology firms raised a record €6.26 billion (US$6.8 billion) in IPOs and follow-on offerings during 2015, according to a newly issued report from the Berlin-based consultancy and market analysts Biocom AG.

DUBLIN – The latest contender to emerge from Spain's fledgling biotech sector is Aelix Therapeutics SL, which has raised €11.5 (US$12.6 million) in a series A round to fund clinical development of a therapeutic vaccine for HIV infection.