Michael Bauer, Ph.D.

📢 Pentixapharm AG Acquires Target Discovery Business of Glycotope GmbH, effective July 1st.  This strategic acquisition of the Berlin-based biotech company marks a significant milestone in their mission to develop novel targeted radiopharmaceuticals against a broad range of malignancies. 🌟 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: • 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼: The deal includes a portfolio of 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 against multiple oncology targets, 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, cell banks, a 𝘁𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲, and essential equipment.    • 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆: This acquisition broadens the 𝗜𝗣 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 beyond the CXCR4 receptor, 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 the 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 and expanding business and clinical opportunities.    • 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺: Pentixapharm welcomes an 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝟰𝟬 seasoned executives, R&D specialists, and administrators from Glycotope.    • 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Patrik Kehler, former CSO of Glycotope, will join as Pentixapharm's 𝗖𝗦𝗢, and Henner Kollenberg, former CEO of Glycotope, will become the 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿.    💬 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘅𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺'𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: “Glycotope’s pipeline comprises 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 that can be 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 for 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳-𝗼𝗳-𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 as next generation radiopharmaceuticals,” said Dr. Hakim Bouterfa, CEO of Pentixapharm AG. “We look forward to 𝗺𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 of Pentixapharm’s know-how and Glycotope’s target discovery for the 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 in both diagnostics and therapeutic applications.” “The transaction 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀 our 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 and administrative capacities, facilitating a 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 to the 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲,” noted 𝗗𝗿. 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗘𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘁, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of both Pentixapharm and Eckert & Ziegler SE. This acquisition positions Pentixapharm to develop 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘀 by leveraging Glycotope’s 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝘆𝗰𝗼𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀—tumor-associated 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗵𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 with 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿-𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆. These advancements have the potential to close the treatment gap for many solid tumors, enhancing both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. 🔗 Learn More: https://lnkd.in/eCXh35Nw #NuclearMedicine #Radiopharmaceuticals #Acquisition #PrecisionMedicine  

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A team from ZHAW Zurich has showcased the transferability of CHO-cell-based mAb production processes from geometrically dissimilar stirred bioreactors for fed-batch and perfusion processes, the team has opened up new possibilities for cost savings and increased yields. Their study found that the high volumetric productivity in the perfusion processes can lead to cost savings, smaller bioreactor sizes, and maintained manufacturing capacity in production plants. Alternatively, yields could be increased by a factor of 2.8 to 3.2 while still using the same bioreactor size. We look forward to seeing how it will impact the future of antibody production. #biotech #antibodyproduction #research https://lnkd.in/eA9992FV

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Join us and take a deep dive into biophysical screening approaches including case studies, fragment-based approaches and covalent hit identification

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Looking forward to discussing innovations in the area of AI, data science and the digital transformation in healthcare. Exciting lineup of speakers and topics, including some old colleagues and hopefully new connections. If you're around, drop by and visit the poster of OmicsChart! #BioTechX #AI #DataScience

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nerai bio receives CHF 150’000 to release the full potential of genome editing. https://lnkd.in/d58MQsVf   Congratulations to amazing team of founders: Sasha M., Kim Fabiano Marquart, Lukas Schmidheini, Gerald Schwank, and Vincent Forster About: CRISPR is a revolutionary technology that enables gene editing therapies for inherited diseases. It uses proteins programmed with an RNA template to locate and correct disease-causing mutations in the genome. However, current CRISPR proteins have limitations in applicability, efficiency, and safety. The company builds on years of R&D in directed evolution, lab automation, and machine learning to develop an AI-driven high-throughput protein discovery platform. These engineered proteins will be licensed to gene therapy companies, tapping into a $4.4B market (2023, 78% YoY growth). The research team from University of Zurich has already developed parts of this platform, with findings published in leading journals. #SwissStartups #VentureKick

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As a proud Swiss company, ENABLE BIOTECH celebrates Switzerland’s global reputation as a life science innovation hotspot. Besides well-known big pharma companies in Basel, Zurich, and Geneva, these cities are also rich clusters of growth for smaller biotechs and biopharma companies. Whether this is because of Switzerland’s central location in Europe, the presence of strong life science talent, or government investment in R&D, it looks like the growth will only continue. To us, this makes Switzerland a great place to get connected to in order to bring your new products across Europe. If you’re looking to break into the European market, why not consider manufacturing or running a First-in-Human trial in Switzerland? Or if you’re already based here, look no further! Let’s chat about how we could support. #biotech #biotechinnovation #lifescience #startups #biomanufacturing #biopharma #switzerland Map source Interpharma: https://lnkd.in/gaw5FSJf

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If you have a moment, read my thoughts on the future of immune tolerance at Topas Therapeutics GmbH

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Currently, 20% of all European biotechs have their headquarters in Switzerland. This is not for no good reason. Organisations like the Paul Scherrer Institute help support the development of life science and biotech startups by connecting them with the larger startup ecosystem. This, combined with the country's favourable economic and regulatory environment, makes for highly successful industry. #SwissInnovation #Biotech #Startups #Entrepreneurship

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Roche's three discontinued MAGE-A4 programs appear to have been based on TCR domain molecules. Could CDR-Life Inc.'s CDR404 - a bispecific and bivalent antibody fragment-based T-cell engager (TCE) targeting MAGE-A4 - yield different results? While antibody-based approaches may exhibit higher affinity for their targets than TCR-based approaches, it's important to note that higher affinity doesn't necessarily translate to improved efficacy. CDR404 is currently undergoing Phase 1 clinical trials (NCT06402201). https://lnkd.in/gQw5ziHF

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As we enter the last month of 2024, we can conclude that it has been a tough year for biotech. ⏳ Evotec, a key player in European biotech, is grappling with financial challenges, including workforce reductions, and facility closures. These struggles have positioned it as an acquisition target, with its dual model of service provision and proprietary R&D drawing interest from private equity and industry players. This situation underscores the broader pressures in the biotech and CRO industries. 😥 Interestingly, the global CRO market, projected to grow at a 9.6% CAGR and reach $129.8 billion by 2029, highlights the increasing reliance on outsourcing. 🙌 Yet, service providers must now integrate innovation into their offerings, blending advanced technologies or hybrid service-product platforms to maintain competitiveness​. For Europe, the potential acquisition of Evotec reflects both risks and opportunities as mentioned in the article and other papers: the possible loss of a leading biotech innovator versus the strengthening of partnerships and outsourcing models to sustain innovation. 💡 At CompreVie, even though we are early stage, we see parallels in our journey as we focus on delivering full-service solutions today while keeping the door open for future offers development. By balancing early service provision with long-term innovation, we aim to navigate the challenges of tightened funding and evolving market demands while contributing to the resilience of the life sciences ecosystem. 😉 #Biotech2024 #CRO #FundingChallenges #OutsourcingInBiotech #CompreVie #BiotechStartups https://lnkd.in/dQGHxcHa

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The overall picture of the Swiss biotech industry is quite positive. The Swiss Biotech Report recently published provides an analysis of the 2023 biotech funding as well as other key ratios and statistics: https://lnkd.in/dGSvh2d With Swiss Biotech Association https://lnkd.in/dAtS7hyU

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In this episode of Evaluating Biopharma, host Ben Locwin speaks with evitria AG CEO Stefan Schmidt about #bispecificantibodies. Dr. Schmidt goes into detail about current trends regarding the discovery and development phases of bispecific antibodies, potential manufacturing issues, and concerns over intellectual property immunity influencing consistency and production. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eWqKHfvJ   #EBPodcast #EvaluatingBiopharma 

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If you would like to learn more about Peptide Synthesizer, Peptides and Amino Acids from CSBio, please stop by at our booth at the Peptide Therapeutics Forum in Basel and talk to Dario Slavazza and Dirk Kusch

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CHF 150,000 for next-gen cancer diagnosis: IMAI MedTech gets selected for final stage of Venture Kick. Congrats to the team of Francesca Catto, Robert Axelrod, and Sascha Brun. https://lnkd.in/eUXMKPma About: Cancer causes millions of deaths yearly. 2D histopathology, the main method for detecting cancer in tissue, involves the analysis of thin tissue slices. However, only a small percentage is examined, leading to false-negative results. The consequences are poor decisions, suboptimal treatments, and cancer recurrence. With its novel interdisciplinary approach combining biomedicine and mechanical engineering technologies, IMAI MedTech aims to enable doctors to adopt digital and 3D histopathology, enhancing accuracy, treatment outcomes, and ultimately improving survival rates. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

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Join us at Swiss Biotech Day in Basel! Johannes Holzmeister & Robin Schonenberger are looking forward to discussing our unique approaches in drug delivery and development. #directoorgandelivery #genetherapy #advancedmedicines #humandiseasemodelling #biotechnology #SwissBioTechDay

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Congratulations to Viola Vogel, Mamta Chabria, and Martin Behe: Tandem Therapeutics has been accepted for the prestigious Wyss Zurich accelerator, to work on unlocking the extracellular matrix, to bring drug efficacy to the next level. A great recognition for a highly promising startup project! https://lnkd.in/eDNXehCg About: Most drug development is focused on targeting cells, overlooking the extracellular matrix that surrounds the cells. Presence of excessive matrix proteins are linked to therapeutic resistance and poor patient outcomes in fibrotic tumors and organ fibrosis. The matrix offers druggable biological real-estate to targets nodes that drive disease progression. Tandem Therapeutics' goal is to precision target this barrier and bring drugs to this disease extracellular matrix thereby enhancing safety and efficacy. Using evolutionarily optimised peptides, we are decoding complex matrix-disease biology to create breakthrough solutions for patients burdened with fibrotic diseases. Tandem Therapeutics is a spin-off of ETH Zürich and has been a winner of all stages of Venture Kick. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

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"There is magic in every beginning." - Hermann Hesse ... or in German: "Jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne" We just started our collaboration with Genome Biologics to exclusively introduce TruCardium cardiac organoid disease models to our customers. I feel the magic of this beginning, combining the decade-long expertise of the Genome Biologics team in cardiac organoid culture and our know how in upscaling production and assay development in our Akura™ multiwell plates. This partnership marks a significant milestone in our mission to provide biologically relevant and highly reproducible solutions for cardiovascular research. The TruCardium models offer unprecedented accuracy in mimicking human heart diseases, enabling researchers to gain deeper insights and accelerate the development of novel therapies. I am confident that this innovative technology will significantly impact our customers' research capabilities and advance the field of cardiac health. I am looking forward to embark on this journey with you, Jaya Krishnan, Jonathan Ward, Filip Henzler, Madhu Lal Nag, MBS PhD, Paul Edgard Clémençon, David Fluri, Bärbel Ulmer and many more involved over here. #Cardiovascular #3Dcellculture #organoids

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For all of you who can't wait or unfortunately can't attend the ACROConnect workshop at Novartis Campus in Basel, here is a little insight into one of our R&D projects on TCRm, presented by our VP Services & Operations Philipp Kuhn.   Classical antibodies in oncology bind to extracellular targets. The problem is that >80% of the proteome are intracellular proteins and therefore can't be reached by classical antibodies. However, the fact that intracellular proteins are presented as peptides on MHCI complexes and can therefore be recognized by TCRs is a game changer for tumor therapy, ushering in the era of TCRm. TCRm antibodies can precisely recognize this peptide-MHCI complex. The tricky part is to bind only the tumor-specific peptides and avoid off-target effects. Using our naïve human antibody library, we have developed TCRm antibodies that recognize the Wilms tumor antigen WT1 but not the negative control, and outperform reference antibodies in several aspects. This proof of concept was just a precursor for further TCRm antibodies from our workshop. Stay tuned! #YUMAB #Antibodies #TCRm #ACROBiosystems

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