Prof. Dr. Pierre Vanderhaeghen from VIB-KU Leuven has been awarded the Generet Prize for Rare Diseases for his research on human brain development. Vanderhaegen’s team have developed an astonishing model for studying rare neurological disorders by successfully integrating human neurons into a mouse brain. The prestigious prize, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation and presented to Vanderhaeghen by HRH Princess Astrid, includes EUR 1 million in funding for further studies.
In mid-2021, research institute VIB will open its brand-new agbiotech incubator. The new complex will provide entrepreneurs with access to high-tech facilities to work on sustainable agricultural innovations, like solutions to make plants more resistant to drought. The incubator will be housed in the former CropDesign site of multinational BASF in Nevele, Belgium.
In 2019, a delegation of Belgian biotechs participated in an economic mission to China led by H.R.H. Princess Astrid. Co-organized with BioCentury’s annual China Healthcare Summit, the mission was a success: three of the participating companies have already signed deals with Chinese collaborators or investors. We spoke with the CEOs of these companies to find out what kind of deals they obtained, and to hear about their experiences of working with Chinese partners.
Over the past few years, an increasing number of European biotechs have been signing deals with Chinese investors. The Chinese are increasingly interested in European, particularly Belgian, biotech. But it’s not just for money: strategic investments with potential deals seem to be at the forefront of these agreements. How do European venture capitalists feel about this trend? We spoke with Chris Buyse from Fund+ to find out.
Niel, Belgium, 1 December 2020 - eTheRNA immunotherapies NV (“eTheRNA”) announced it has entered into a strategic cooperation and product license agreement with China Grand Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Holdings Ltd (“China Grand Pharma”) to establish a new joint venture company, Nanjing AuroRNA Biotech Co., Ltd. (“AuroRNA Biotech”) in Mainland China to deploy eTheRNA’s proprietary mRNA technology for pharmaceutical research and development and production in the Greater China Region.
Brussels, Belgium / Tokyo, Japan – 1 December 2020 – Newton Biocapital I (“Newton”), a life sciences investment fund active in Europe and Japan and focused on the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases, has announced its third investment in Japan. Newton invested EUR 1.2 million (JPY 148 million) in Perseus Proteomics Inc. as part of a total round of EUR 8.1 million. With this investment, Perseus Proteomics will continue its research and development of PPMX-T003 - a key growth driver antibody - and other antibodies in the pipeline.
Tumors create complex microenvironments where they suppress the normal functioning of the immune system. Blood vessels and macrophages are an important part of this environment. A new VIB-KU Leuven startup called Montis Biosciences is working to enhance anti-tumor immunity by investigating interactions between perivascular macrophages and the tumor vasculature.
Prof. Dr. Pierre Vanderhaeghen from VIB-KU Leuven has been awarded the Generet Prize for Rare Diseases for his research on human brain development. Vanderhaegen’s team have developed an astonishing model for studying rare neurological disorders by successfully integrating human neurons into a mouse brain. The prestigious prize, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation and presented to Vanderhaeghen by HRH Princess Astrid, includes EUR 1 million in funding for further studies.
In mid-2021, research institute VIB will open its brand-new agbiotech incubator. The new complex will provide entrepreneurs with access to high-tech facilities to work on sustainable agricultural innovations, like solutions to make plants more resistant to drought. The incubator will be housed in the former CropDesign site of multinational BASF in Nevele, Belgium.
In 2019, a delegation of Belgian biotechs participated in an economic mission to China led by H.R.H. Princess Astrid. Co-organized with BioCentury’s annual China Healthcare Summit, the mission was a success: three of the participating companies have already signed deals with Chinese collaborators or investors. We spoke with the CEOs of these companies to find out what kind of deals they obtained, and to hear about their experiences of working with Chinese partners.
Over the past few years, an increasing number of European biotechs have been signing deals with Chinese investors. The Chinese are increasingly interested in European, particularly Belgian, biotech. But it’s not just for money: strategic investments with potential deals seem to be at the forefront of these agreements. How do European venture capitalists feel about this trend? We spoke with Chris Buyse from Fund+ to find out.
Niel, Belgium, 1 December 2020 - eTheRNA immunotherapies NV (“eTheRNA”) announced it has entered into a strategic cooperation and product license agreement with China Grand Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Holdings Ltd (“China Grand Pharma”) to establish a new joint venture company, Nanjing AuroRNA Biotech Co., Ltd. (“AuroRNA Biotech”) in Mainland China to deploy eTheRNA’s proprietary mRNA technology for pharmaceutical research and development and production in the Greater China Region.
Brussels, Belgium / Tokyo, Japan – 1 December 2020 – Newton Biocapital I (“Newton”), a life sciences investment fund active in Europe and Japan and focused on the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases, has announced its third investment in Japan. Newton invested EUR 1.2 million (JPY 148 million) in Perseus Proteomics Inc. as part of a total round of EUR 8.1 million. With this investment, Perseus Proteomics will continue its research and development of PPMX-T003 - a key growth driver antibody - and other antibodies in the pipeline.
Tumors create complex microenvironments where they suppress the normal functioning of the immune system. Blood vessels and macrophages are an important part of this environment. A new VIB-KU Leuven startup called Montis Biosciences is working to enhance anti-tumor immunity by investigating interactions between perivascular macrophages and the tumor vasculature.