Life Science Healthcare News | February 2023

BioNTech buys British AI start-up

Mainz-based vaccine manufacturer BioNTech has acquired British AI start-up Instadeep in a deal worth a reported EUR 410 million. The biggest acquisition in the company’s history to date – with further additional performance-based payments of up to GBP 200 million outstanding – will see BioNTech speed up its biotech research and manufacturing capabilities using an AI-based development platform. Commenting on the acquisition, BioNTech co-founder and chief executive Ugur Sahin said “our goal with the acquisition is to integrate AI seamlessly in all aspects of our work - from target discovery, lead discovery to manufacturing and delivery of our products."

Neotiv secures EUR 10 million in funding round

A healthtech start-up based in Magdeburg successfully raised EUR 10 million in new funding as part of a recent pre-series A financing round. Digital health company Neotiv, whose digital platform app allows early Alzheimer’s test screening to be conducted, plans to internationalize its activities with the new funding and further develop targeted platform solutions.

Successful seed financing round for PraxisEins

Healthtech start-up PraxisEins has secured a mid-seven figure sum in a recent seed-financing round. PraxisEins supports physician practices with digitalization, process management, recruitment, and business management. The Frankfurt-based company plans to plough the new capital into further developing its software solution as well as adding new practices to the existing network of medical practitioners.

13 million euro financing round for Munich medtech start-up

Munich medtech start-up iThera Medical received EUR 13 million in new funding as part of its series D financing round. The company has developed multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) technology that allows different clinical images – including cancer and fibrosis – to be diagnosed. The company plans to use the injection of capital to move beyond the study phase to bring its product to market maturity and secure regulatory approval in Europe and the USA.

Australian biotech company establishes R&D campus in Marburg

World-leading biotech company CSL has opened a new R&D center in the Görzhausen industry park in Marburg, Hessen. The new 40,000 sqm site is the Australian company’s largest research facility worldwide. The new facility underpins CSL’s ties to the region, where it already operates a production site. Paul Perreault, CEO und Managing Director of CSL, said, “The new complex was built to the strictest sustainability criteria, and will make Marburg, Central Hessen and Hessen a beacon of biotechnology far beyond the borders of the state and the country.”

Astellas successfully tests stomach cancer drug

Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas has successfully tested a new stomach cancer drug during a phase three trial. The experimental Zolbetuximab medicine prolonged both disease-free survival and overall survival of a sample of around 560 participants. The experimental drug stems from research conducted by BioNTech founders Özlem Türeci and Ugur Sahin at their previous company Ganymed, which they sold to Astelllas for EUR 422 million in 2016.