LONDON – Cellectis SA has completed the acquisition of Europe's leading private stem cell company, the Swedish/British Cellartis AB, owner of 30 proprietary stem cell lines, in a cash and shares deal valued at €30 million (US$41.4million). Read More

LONDON – SEEK Ltd. released Phase II results of a challenge trial of its T-cell vaccine FLU-v against influenza, showing healthy volunteers who were vaccinated had less severe symptoms, over a shorter time, than the controls. Read More

LONDON – Many more genes seem to be involved in the development of colorectal cancer than previously thought, a mutagenesis study in mice suggested. Around a third of the genes are already known to be mutated in human cancer, providing strong evidence that they help to drive the growth of human tumors. Read More

LONDON – RedX Pharma Ltd. has been awarded a ₤5.9 million (US$9.5 million) grant to finance the formation of a research center to take forward work on a portfolio of 40 oncology compounds discovered using the company's redox switch technology. Read More

DUSSELDORF, Germany – BIO-Europe Fall 2011 entered its final day as Europe's financial system teetered on the brink – yet again – following Greece's shock decision to put its recently agreed bailout package to a popular vote. Although the issues facing Europe's biotechnology industry seem pretty minor in comparison, a definite sense of gloom has pervaded many of the discussions here at BIO-Europe. Read More

• Amakem NV, of Diepenbeek, Belgium, reported data showing that AMA0247, a selective Rho kinase inhibitor, was effective in inhibiting the inflammatory reaction in the lungs, as measured by neutrophil infiltration, but had no effect on blood pressure or heart rate in a smoking mouse model for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. AMA0247 was derived from the firm's Localized Drug Action platform. Read More