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TEMPLE THERAPEUTICS B.V. WINS EUROSTARS GRANT FOR NOVEL ONCOLOGY PROGRAM

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Temple Therapeutics, B.V. (the “Company” or “Temple”), a clinical stage biotechnology company engaged in the development of first-in-class therapeutics for post-surgical adhesion prevention, endometriosis, and oncology, announced today that the Company and its consortium partners will be receiving non-dilutive funding of $3 million to develop a novel therapeutic based on the discovery of a novel target found in a range of solid tumors. The funding is committed by the Eurostars program that is backed by Eureka (35 participating countries) and the European Commission. The consortium partners in the project are Inspherso(Switzerland), University of Gothenburg, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center (Sweden), and Xenopat (Spain).  The Company’s team consists of leading clinicians and researchers across Europe, UK and USA.

Key partners outside the Eurostars consortium for Temple are Associate Professor and inventor Ghassan Saed, PhD. of Wayne State University and Karmanos Cancer Center in Michigan, USA, Professor Ahuva Nissim, PhD. of Queen Mary University and William Harvey Research Institute (London, UK) and principal investigator Dr. Rebecca Kristeleit Associate Professor at UCL and Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist UCLH (London, UK). Internally, Temple has a strong development team lead by CSO Lynne Robertson, PhD. and CMO and Medical Lead, Neil Sankar, MD. Additionally, the team is supported by former Pfizer’s VP of Early Stage Oncology, Pamela Garzone,PhD., who now is the CMO of Calibr at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, USA.

GAINING FURTHER MARKET CREDIBILITY

“Eurostar’s non dilutive grant is a validation of our team, novel science, novel target and commercial potential,” remarks Sanj Singh, CEO of Temple. “As a result, we are currently doing a $45M raise to advance our lead through to registration and bring our exciting pipeline in oncology to the clinic within the next three years. Data and team drives value and we have both. Early interactions with pharma have suggested the best positioning for this program maybe in combination therapy or potentially as a monotherapy for patients who do not respond to immunotherapy or have failed other courses of treatment. We believe the data suggests, that TTX33 may be a potent targeted therapy across a broad range of resistant solid tumors, such as ovarian.”

TTX334ag, the novel target was identified by the scientific lead, Dr. Saed, and has no known molecules in development. However, TTX334ag’s role in cell proliferation and cell survival in cancer are published and established; particularly in resistant cancers such as breast, thyroid, and colo-rectal which shows high correlation of the presence of the target. Early in-vivo data in resistant, cisplatin and chemoresistant ovarian cancers demonstrate high expression of the target and selective killing of cancer cells by over 80%. At the same time, healthy primary cells were minimally or not affected in the same studies. Developing a highly selective and targeted antibody or small molecule could prove valuable for cancer patients who otherwise have no other options.    

Temple is a private clinical stage biotechnology company and is developing first in class therapeutics across three franchises: pharmacosurgical (i.e. novel approach using a drug for adhesion prevention), fibrosis (endometriosis) and oncology. The company is headquartered in Geleen/Maastricht (The Netherlands) and has research affiliations across leading academic centers across the globe. Temple’s focus on interconnectedness and power of the human biology has uncovered novel pathways and potential therapeutics to solve some of today’s largest unmet medical needs.

Source: http://www.templerx.com/blog/details/temple_therapeutics_bv_wins_eurostars_grant_for_novel_oncology_program.html

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20MED THERAPEUTICS AND PARTNERS RECEIVE EUROSTARS GRANT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MRNA THERAPEUTICS FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS

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20Med Therapeutics announced with its partners Ethris GmbH, the AO Research Institute Davos and Paracelsus Medical University the receipt of a Eurostars grant to be used to further the development of a novel approach to treating osteoarthritis (OA) by the consortium of companies and institutions. The Eurostars program is managed by the EUREKA organization, which supports highly innovative technologies to bring them closer to the market and is supported by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 Framework Program.

Osteoarthritis, which affects 130 million people worldwide, is characterized by chronic joint pain and functional impairment. OA imposes a huge burden on the individual patient and European health care system. No treatments for OA are available to counteract disease progression. Often total joint replacement is the only therapeutic option.

“With osteoarthritis predicted to be the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide by 2020 and no approved treatments to counteract disease progression, there is an urgent need for new treatment options,” said Dr. Michiel Lodder, CEO of 20Med Therapeutics. “The Eurostar grant will support the development of a novel approach to treating osteoarthritis using bioresponsive polymer-based nanoparticle delivery of stabilized mRNA factors into the joint.”

The consortium’s novel approach to developing new mRNA therapeutics for OA utilizes 20Med’s unique patented nanotechnology combined with Ethris’ proprietary stabilized non-immunogenic mRNA technology – SNIM¼. The new therapeutics will be tested in different preclinical models by the consortium partners from Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria, and the AO Research Institute Davos (ARI), Switzerland.

Source: https://20medtx.com/news/joint-approach-pressrelease/

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Handelsmissie naar India

Deze missie is in aanwezigheid van Sigrid Kaag, minister voor Buitenlandse Handel en Ontwikkelingssamenwerking, Bruno Bruins, minister voor Medische Zorg en Sport, Mona Keijzer, staatssecretaris van Economische Zaken en Klimaat, Marjolijn Sonnema, directeur-generaal Agro van het ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit en watergezant Henk Ovink.

Ineke Dezentjé Hamming-Bluemink is de zakelijk missieleider. Zij is bestuurslid van VNO-NCW en voorzitter van FME-CWM.

Deze missie loopt parallel aan het staatsbezoek van Zijne Majesteit Koning Willem-Alexander en Hare Majesteit Koningin MĂĄxima aan India. De Koning en de Koningin nemen deel aan diverse programmaonderdelen van deze missie.

Meer informatie:

https://www.rvo.nl/actueel/evenementen/handelsmissie-met-een-focus-op-innovatie-parallel-aan-het-staatsbezoek-india

Sector Health

14 tot en met 18 oktober, New Delhi en Bangalore

  • digital health
  • devices and diagnostics
  • one health/AMR
  • vaccines and therapeutics

Lees de uitgebreide sectorinformatie (pdf, Engelstalig).
Bekijk het concept-sectorprogramma (pdf, Engelstalig).

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NEW IMI PROJECT “GNA NOW” KICKS OFF ITS BATTLE AGAINST ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

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Evotec and Lygature announced their cooperation in a new initiative for the development of novel antibacterial agents today: Gram-Negative Antibacterials NOW (“GNA NOW”). The new GNA NOW project, led by Evotec, managed by Lygature and funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), will work on the development of novel antibacterial agents to battle antimicrobial resistance in gram-negative bacteria. The multi-stakeholder consortium includes nine other partners from academia, industry and SMEs: Nosopharm, BIOASTER, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, North Bristol National Health Service Trust, University of Liverpool, Inserm, Erasmus Medical Center, Medical University of Vienna, and Fraunhofer IME.

Collectively, the GNA NOW members will progress three programmes in parallel with the goal of bringing one through completion of Phase I studies and one reaching Investigational New Drug (IND) stage and/or up to two programmes reaching clinical development candidate stage, by 2024.

GNA NOW is supported by the IMI, a joint initiative between the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), of which Evotec is a member. The IMI, the world’s largest public-private partnership (PPP) in life sciences, will match Evotec’s in-kind contribution with a € 12 m grant over the next six years, to fund the activities of the consortium. This award will allow the eleven partners of this consortium to build European platforms of excellence around each step of the critical path for drug discovery and development. European experts will join forces to contribute to “mechanism of action elucidation”, “medicinal chemistry and design”, “in vitro profiling”, “pre-candidate efficacy studies”, “candidate PK/PD studies”, “safety and ADME”, “CMC”, as well as “clinical studies and modelling”.

Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, commented: “We are extremely glad to initiate GNA NOW with the backing of the European Commission and the EFPIA. Bacterial infections are a growing threat around the globe and are driving the need for innovative therapeutics with new mechanisms of action. GNA NOW gives us the opportunity to join forces with leading institutions of both the public and the private sector across Europe to develop new gram-negative antibacterial agents as quickly and as efficiently as possible.”

Dr Kristina Orrling, program manager at Lygature and GNA NOW project coordinator, commented: “By joining forces we can fend off a grim future where a simple urinary infection can be fatal. Together, we’ll strengthen the antibacterial arsenal.”

About antibiotic-resistant bacteria and GNA NOW Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were estimated to be responsible for 670,000 infections and 33,110 attributable deaths in the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) in 2015. From a global perspective, antimicrobial resistance could kill up to ten million people every year by 2050, which could cost up to € 94 trillion ($ 100 tn). In February 2017, the WHO published a list of priority pathogens for the development of new antibiotics. Carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii) were at the top of that list, with critical priority.

GNA NOW is an Evotec-led joint initiative of eleven partners, project managed by Lygature, with the goal of developing novel antibacterial agents and bringing one of the three simultaneously developed compounds through completion of Phase I studies plus one compound reaching Investigational New Drug (IND) stage and/or up to two compounds reaching clinical development candidate stage, by 2024.

This project has received funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 853979. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and EFPIA.

Source: Lygature


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Massachusetts and the Netherlands kickoff international partnership in life sciences

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Public and private sectors from Massachusetts and the Netherlands want to boost investment and innovation opportunities across both sides of the Atlantic.

Cambridge (MA), 23 July 2019 – During an official economic mission from the Netherlands to Boston led by Prime Minister Rutte, representatives from public investment agencies, the biotech industry and other organizations convened to discuss a broad-based partnership to advance ongoing collaboration in life sciences between the Netherlands and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. TheMassachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy signed a Memorandum of Understanding laying the basis for a Massachusetts – the Netherlands Transatlantic Life Sciences Partnership.

The signature of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a testimony to the strategic importance of life sciences as well as a mutual recognition of Massachusetts and the Netherlands as two international biotech hubs. Indeed, Massachusetts counts nearly 70,000 people working in life sciences, with Boston-Cambridge alone boasting more than 500 biotech companies, 5 of the top 6 hospitals in the U.S., and 48 colleges. The Netherlands is a younger yet rapidly growing biotechnology hub at the heart of the EU, with more than 420 biopharmaceutical companies, 12 research universities, 85 hospitals, around 200 public-private partnerships and is the home to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The Netherlands is also one of the most concentrated life sciences and health clusters worldwide, featuring 2,900 companies within a 200km radius. 

In addition to the signatories, Health-Holland, MassBio, HollandBIO and the Henri A. Termeer Tribute Committee will provide support for accelerating the growth of their life sciences hubs and the global opportunities for their respective domestic research organizations and companies. The partnership entails regular dialogues to promote a mutual understanding of the environment for life sciences in Europe, in the U.S. and worldwide, and facilitate global expansion. Collectively, these organizations will set-up various activities to foster collaboration and partnership across the Atlantic such as exchange of scientific results, pitches of research projects and generally fostering the flow of talent, ideas and people between the two ecosystems.

Focco Vijselaar, Director-General Enterprise and Innovation at Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy: “The Netherlands and Massachusetts have successful life sciences communities. By joining forces in this partnership they can both be strengthened.”

Mark Sullivan, Executive Director of Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment: “By signing this MoU we underline the great opportunities that lie ahead of two formidable life sciences ecosystems, here in Massachusetts as well as in the Netherlands. This international partnership will help create economic development and investment in the sector.”

John Maraganore, co-chair of The Henri A. Termeer Tribute Committee, Board Member of BIO and CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: “This MOU is a great demonstration of the international leadership of Massachusetts in life sciences, as well as the fast-growing development of the Netherlands as an environment that champions a vibrant ecosystem for life sciences and healthcare innovation. As a company headquartered in Cambridge, MA and with strategic and growing European operations in the Netherlands, we are strongly convinced that the collaboration potential between innovators in these two leading life sciences hubs is immense, and patients are waiting for the fruits of our work.”  

Hans Schikan, Top Team member of Health-Holland: “Working together is part of the Dutch DNA. By collaborating with the best we can identify innovative solutions that matter.”

Robert K. Coughlin, President and CEO, MassBio: “Disease has no borders, and neither should the research and development necessary to create new therapies and cures. We’re looking forward to embarking on this international partnership with the Netherlands and sharing the talent, resources, and capabilities of Massachusetts’ innovation ecosystem so we can all more efficiently bring new tomorrows to patients around the globe.”

Annemiek Verkamman, Managing Director at HollandBIO, the Dutch biotech industry association: “This transatlantic partnership provides a solid basis for increased collaboration between both our vibrant life sciences communities. We are looking forward to helping create opportunities for innovation and investments and fostering mutual understanding of our life sciences ecosystems.”

Mark Sullivan (Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment) and Focco Vijselaar (Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy) sign the MoU laying the basis for a Massachusetts – the Netherlands Transatlantic Life Sciences Partnership. Standing, the Dutch Minister for Medical Care Bruno Bruins.
The representation of the supporting organizations of the MoU and the trade mission to Boston. From left to right: Hans Schikan (Health-Holland), Henne Schuwer (Dutch Ambassador in the United States), John Maraganore (Henri A. Termeer Tribute Committee, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals), Charlie Baker (Governor of Massachusetts), Belinda Termeer (Henri A. Termeer Tribute Committee), Mark Rutte (Prime Minister of the Netherlands), Robert Coughlin (MassBio), Bruno Bruins (Dutch Minister for Medical Care and Sport), Annemiek Verkamman (HollandBIO), Hans de Boer (VNO-NCW), Travis McCready (Massachusetts Life Sciences Center).
 
Photography by © Kyle Klein and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the USA
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One Health applications for prophylactic vaccines and preventive strategies

The Netherlands Centre for One Health (NCOH) was allocated a budget of two million euro Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Allowance to organise and realise their first PPP call. This call involves strategic partnerships under the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda of Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (LSH): One Health call.

The research projects should fit within the NCOH Strategic Research Agenda and one of its Solution Sets ‘Preventive Strategies’ or ‘Prophylactic Vaccines’. All NCOH partners can apply for collaborative innovation projects; though specific NCOH consortium criteria must be met.

Funding conditions

Depending on the type of research (fundamental, industrial or experimental) and the contributions by private and public partners within the project, between €250,000 and €750,000 PPP Allowance can be applied for. Submitted projects should have a total size of max. €1 million, including co-financing. An important condition is that an application must consist of a collaboration with at least one private party and an NCOH consortium of at least two contributing NCOH partners with multiple PhD students, befitting the NCOH research programme.

More information: https://www.health-holland.com/calls/one-health

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Ida Haisma benoemd tot Directeur Leiden Bio Science Park

Ida Haisma is benoemd tot Directeur Leiden Bio Science Park. Zij zal leiding gaan geven aan de transformatie van het Leiden Bio Science Park van science park tot innovatiedistrict. Hiertoe zal zij een nieuwe parkorganisatie gaan opbouwen en optreden als gezicht van het park.

Ida Haisma is een ondernemende vernieuwer en verbinder met de nodige ervaring in Life Sciences & Health. Momenteel leidt ze een corporate innovatieprogramma en adviseert ze start ups in de energie‐sector. Daarvoor was zij plaatsvervangend directeur van de Vereniging Innovatieve Geneesmiddelen. Daar ontwikkelde ze strategische agenda’s voor de sector en werkte ze met bedrijven, kennisinstellingen en overheden voor de Nederlandse Life Sciences & Health‐Sector.

Ze bezit veel kennis van en ervaring met het creëren van sterke innovatieclusters. Ze was de eerste directeur van The Hague Security Delta, het Nederlandse veiligheidscluster met inmiddels meer dan 200 bedrijven, kennisinstellingen en overheden dat zij vanaf de start heeft opgebouwd. Eerder was zij ook plaatsvervangend directeur bij het Kenniscentrum Grote Steden (NICIS), waar ze de samenwerking tussen overheden, bedrijven en kennisinstellingen rond grootstedelijke ontwikkeling bevorderde.

Ida Haisma zal per 1 september a.s. haar werkzaamheden beginnen.

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€116 miljoen voor AM-Pharma

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AM-Pharma haalt maar liefst €116 miljoen op om de behandeling die het ontwikkelt tegen acuut nierfalen naar de kliniek te brengen. De medische vraag naar een medicijn is groot. Jaarlijks overlijden wereldwijd ongeveer 700.000 mensen aan acuut nierfalen, en er is nog geen behandeling voorhanden. De financieringsronde is een van de grootste ooit van een zelfstandig Nederlands biotech bedrijf, en kwam tot stand door een consortium van bestaande en nieuwe investeerders. Voor AM-Pharma start hiermee een spannende nieuwe fase, waarvoor het bedrijf flink uit zal breiden. De deal onderstreept de potentie en innovatiekracht van de Nederlandse biotech sector, die eerder deze week al een enorme boost kreeg dankzij de versterkte samenwerking tussen Galapagos en Gilead.

De laatste stap die AM-Pharma moet zetten op de lange route van lab naar registratie is bepaald geen sinecure. AM-Pharma wil zijn kandidaat-geneesmiddel testen bij 1.400 patiënten, verspreid over honderd ziekenhuizen in twaalf landen. De studie moet voldoende data opleveren voor goedkeuring van het Europees Medicijn Agentschap (EMA) en de FDA in de VS.

Het succes van AM-Pharma betekent dat de Nederlandse biotech sector weer een groeidiamant rijker is. Het bedrijf is illustratief voor de kwaliteit en potentie van de sector, maar ook voor de moeilijke route die een biotech bedrijf van lab naar patiënt moet bewandelen. Vorig jaar publiceerde AM-Pharma veelbelovende resultaten van een eerdere klinische studie in het gezaghebbende Journal of American Medical Assocation (JAMA). Toch trok farmaceut Pfizer zich vanwege een strategische koerswijziging terug als partner van AM-Pharma, waarna het kleine bedrijf op zoek moest naar nieuwe financiers. De goede data, de grote medische noodzaak en de volharding van het AM-Pharma team onder leiding van CEO Erik van den Berg maakten dit succes mogelijk.

Het is uitzonderlijk dat een biotech bedrijf zelfstandig deze stap richting registratie zet. Meestal wordt voor zogenaamde fase III studies samenwerking gezocht met een grote farmaceut die de financiële middelen en de infrastructuur heeft om deze veeleisende fase te doorlopen. Een andere meer gebruikelijke route om kapitaal op te halen is een beursgang.

Het aantrekken van financiering is en blijft een van de grootste uitdagingen voor start-ups en scale-ups in de biotech. Het Nederlandse financieringslandschap vertoont fikse gaten. Een uitgekiende financieringsmix voor biotech bedrijven in alle fases van ontwikkeling moet het huidige marktfalen aanpakken. Invest-NL kan daar hopelijk aan bijdragen. De nationale investeringsinstelling in oprichting heeft alles in zich om de gaten te dichten en door te investeren in biotech start-ups en scale-ups een brug te slaan tussen de publieke regelingen en private investeerders. Zo kan Invest-NL dienen als vliegwiel voor innovatie en de AM-Pharma’s van morgen het broodnodige steuntje in de rug geven.

Een greep uit de media

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TPI Bidbook: sneller en beter met proefdiervrije innovaties

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TPI is op zoek naar Nederlandse bedrijven die hun proefdiervrije innovaties willen publiceren in een bidbook: een mooie kans om je bedrijf in de kijker te spelen! TPI staat voor Transitie Proefdiervrije Innovatie. Deze transitie is gaande: wetenschap, gezondheidszorg, beoordeling van veiligheid en acceptatie van dierproeven veranderen. TPI staat ook voor de groep die deze ontwikkelingen wil versnellen: RIVM, NFU, VSNU, ZonMw, Samenwerkende Gezondheidsfondsen, Stichting Proefdiervrij en de ministeries van LNV, VWS, EZK, OCW en IenM. Het TPI-netwerk signaleert dat er behoefte is meer te zien van wat start en scale ups allemaal ontwikkelen zonder proefdiergebruik.

TPI nodigt leveranciers van proefdiervrije innovaties daarom uit om zich in het TPI bidbook te profileren. Het doel is om met zo’n bidbook overzichtelijk te laten zien wat en waarom Nederlandse start en scale ups proefdiervrij innoveren. Het bidbook wordt gepresenteerd tijdens de International pioneer2policymaker conference ‘Accelerating animalfree innovations’ van 27-29 november 2019.

Wil je dat TPI jouw bedrijfsprofiel in het bidbook opneemt? Laat het HollandBIO dan uiterlijk 23 juli weten via info@hollandbio.nl.  

Meer informatie:

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WBSO cruciaal voor biotech bedrijven

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Ruim 500 biotech bedrijven maakten in 2018 gebruik van de Wet Bevordering Speur- en Ontwikkelingswerk (WBSO), zo blijkt uit het jaarverslag over deze fiscale regeling. Zij maken onderdeel uit van een totaal van ruim 20.000 innovatieve bedrijven die dat deden, waarvan 97% midden- en kleinbedrijf (MKB). Dit leverde hen een voordeel op van bij elkaar meer dan €1.1 miljard.

De regeling heeft een aantoonbaar positief effect op de R&D-inspanningen en is dan ook van levensbelang voor biotech bedrijven. Afgelopen jaren nam het aantal bedrijven dat gebruik maakt van de WBSO af, vooral onder startups en MKB. RVO voert in 2019 onderzoek uit naar deze daling. HollandBIO blijft zich, in aanloop naar de begrotingsbehandeling voor 2020 in september, inspannen voor een optimale invulling van deze  voor de life sciences-sector cruciale regeling.

Het volledige WBSO jaarverslag 2018 vind je hier.

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