NLS has asked industry organizations in all the Nordic countries about the situation and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has turned societies in the Nordic region,
Nordic Life Science
The COVID-19 pandemic
The company has submitted an application to the Swedish Medicines Agency for permission to conduct a phase II clinical study of the drug candidate KAND567 in COVID-19 patients. The ultimate
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet are coordinating a multi-national clinical trial that will evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBO) in severe cases of COVID-19. A total of 200 adults
Given the similarity of the Nordic societies, it is interesting to note how differently some of them have reacted to the current COVID-19 crisis, writes Johan Strang, Associate Professor at
The new national test centre, TestCenter Danmark, is anchored at Statens Serum Institute (SSI) and has been established in close collaboration between the Danish state, the Danish regions, the national
Ali Mirazimi, researcher at Karolinska Institutet and Sweden’s National Veterinary Institute (SVA), coordinates one of eight projects provisionally selected among 144 applicants in the EU-financed Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI). A
The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has fast tracked the roll out of the global Solidarity Trial launched by the WHO to help find an effective treatment for COVID-19.
NLS News
Elekta’s President and CEO, Richard Hausmann, has been recognized as the “Best MedTech CEO” by MedTech Breakthrough, an independent organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies, and products in the
The Board of Directors of Xbrane Biopharma has successfully completed a directed issue of 3,853,799 shares corresponding to approximately SEK 146 million before costs related to the transaction. The subscription
Oncoinvent has completed a 40 million NOK round of financing, led by Hadean Ventures and with participation from existing investors CGS Holding AS, Helene Sundt AS, Alpine Capital AS, Artal
Vännäs-based Agrisera has been acquired by Uppsala based biotech company Olink Proteomics. Agrisera is specializing in the production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. The company provides a large range of
Elekta will further develop its focus on cancer care providers and their patients through its acquisition of Finnish company Kaiku Health. Kaiku is best known for its app that monitors
LIDDS has received positive responses from the Swedish Medical Products Agency and Phase IIb study results indicate cancer control. The company has received positive responses from the Swedish Medical Products
AstraZeneca’s Bevespi Aerosphere (glycopyrronium/formoterol fumarate) has been approved in China as a maintenance treatment to relieve symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema.
Calliditas Therapeutics has publicly filed a registration statement on Form F-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a proposed initial public offering of its American Depositary Shares,
BioInvent International has announced the presentation of promising new data on its anti-tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) program at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. The
Under the terms of the agreement, Affibody will receive a $10 million upfront payment and is eligible to receive up to $215.5 million in additional regulatory and sales milestones, plus
Gesynta Pharma has reported positive Phase I results with GS-248 for the treatment of microvascular disease. The Phase I study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
Sana Alajmovic, CEO and co-founder of Sigrid Therapeutics, has been appointed one of the Female Leaders of the Future. Sweden’s professional organization for executives – Ledarna – has presented its
Lipigon Pharmaceuticals has signed a new agreement with Chinese biotech company HitGen to develop drug candidates that treat blood fat disorders and cardiovascular diseases. Lipigon, which is located at the
Pascale Cossart, Sven Hagströmer, and Thomas Sakmar will have their doctorates formally conferred at Stockholm City Hall on 13 November 2020. An honorary doctorate can be awarded to researchers who
Drug and device development
Pfizer and BioNTech have announced that the first participants have been dosed in the U.S. in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial for the BNT162 vaccine program to prevent COVID-19. The
Nordic Nanovector has announced that Betalutin (177Lu lilotomab satetraxetan) has received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on the application for orphan drug designation for the treatment
Oncopeptides has announced that data from the phase 2 study HORIZON, and additional clinical and preclinical data that further evaluate the therapeutic peptide-drug conjugate platform, have been accepted by the
Gesynta Pharma has reported positive Phase I results with GS-248 for the treatment of microvascular disease. The Phase I study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
Galecto has recruited more than 150 patients in its Phase 2b GALACTIC-1 study of GB0139 in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). This includes recently recruited patients in areas which have been
Profile
Barbro Ehnbom has successfully promoted women in their careers, not least within life sciences, and she is herself a living example of the changes she has pushed for.
In a new job
6 keys to successful work from home as the coronavirus spreads. Many life science companies follow authorities’ recommendations and are sending employees home to work remotely in order to diminish
The Board of Oasmia Pharmaceutical has appointed Francois Martelet as the new CEO. Martelet has extensive international experience of leading pharmaceutical companies. He replaces Sven Rohmann, who has been acting
Zelluna Immunotherapy has announced the appointment of Namir Hassan as its chief executive officer (CEO). “At this stage of Zelluna’s evolution, we are delighted to appoint Namir Hassan as CEO.
Careers
How do you take an invention further and make the right decisions to protect your innovation? Patent engineer Maria Lundström provides a helping hand in the delicate processes of patents,
Read the latest issue of our magazine!
No 02 2020 // This issue includes a special report on the Nordic life science industry’s efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. It also includes a profile interview with Darja Isaksson, Director General of Vinnova, who has a mission of innovation through public-private co-creation and social and economic sustainability.
The Nobel Prize
Professor Honjo did not set out to find a cure for cancer but he is glad he did not give up and believes cancer immunotherapy will be the Number One
When your passion and lifelong work are the same. Great things can happen. Just ask James Allison.
The 2018 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo for ther pioneering work in cancer immunotheraphy.
“Immunotherapy can be combined with almost anything; you can combine it with chemotherapy or radiation as long as you do it right. The benefits of immunotherapy are several; the best one is that once T cells see something different about the cancer cell and attack the cancer, they can be re-activated [if the cancer reoccurs.]” – James Allison
Upcoming events
Come explore tomorrow’s possibilities with today’s digital pioneers. Create a network that you can learn from about Product Lifecycle Management and business development in the Medical Device, Pharmaceutical and Biotech
You can’t get a drug to market without a clinical trial. You can’t run a clinical trial without product supply. The 2020 Clinical Trial Supply Forum (postponed until August 24-26
The event focuses on development and manufacturing of high quality biologic drugs and vaccines. This is a biologic drugs and vaccines conference in the Nordic region that will bring together
NLSDays is the largest Nordic partnering conference dedicated to the life science industry. The 2020 event has been postponed until the 2021 event, April 20-21 2021, in Malmö Since its
Our region is filled with life science activity. We take a closer look at what´s going on in our Nordic cities when it comes to life science efforts, progress and challenges.
In focus – Nordic cities
Nordic Life Science
The latest clinical trials
Gesynta Pharma has reported positive Phase I results with GS-248 for the treatment of microvascular disease. The Phase I study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
Galecto has recruited more than 150 patients in its Phase 2b GALACTIC-1 study of GB0139 in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). This includes recently recruited patients in areas which have been
AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford have announced an agreement for the global development and distribution of the University’s potential recombinant adenovirus vaccine aimed at preventing COVID-19 infection from SARS-CoV-2.
Alligator Bioscience has presented the status of its ongoing Phase I clinical trial with the bispecific drug candidate ATOR-1015 developed as tumor-directed therapy for metastatic cancer. This far, doses of
AstraZeneca and MSD have announced positive results from the Phase III PROfound trial of Lynparza (olaparib) in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who have a homologous recombination repair
Saniona has announced results from its 24-week double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of Tesomet in patients with hypothalamic obesity (HO). The study results
AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso Phase III ADAURA trial will be unblinded early after overwhelming efficacy in the adjuvant treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated lung cancer. The ADAURA Phase III trial for Tagrisso (osimertinib) in
Spago Nanomedical has momentarily halted its clinical study SPAGOPIX-01 at Uppsala University Hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Uppsala University Hospital has issued internal recommendations for clinical studies as a
Novo Nordisk has announced that a peer-reviewed journal published the results of a phase 3 trial evaluating the investigational use of Saxenda in adolescents with obesity. The study was accepted
The latest research news from the Nordic region
Science Article
Pascale Cossart, Sven Hagströmer, and Thomas Sakmar will have their doctorates formally conferred at Stockholm City Hall on 13 November 2020. An honorary doctorate can be awarded to researchers who
Researchers in Sweden and Finland have produced a vaccine for viruses linked to type 1 diabetes in the hope that it could provide protection against the disease. The study has
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the University of North Carolina have mapped out the cell types behind various brain disorders and their findings offer a roadmap for the development of
Sara Mangsbo, Associate Senior Lecturer at Uppsala University, has been appointed one of Sweden’s ten most innovative entrepreneurs 2020 by the Swedish Incubators & Science Parks (SISP) and ÅForsk. Mangsbo
A new Finnish study has demonstrated the benefits of large-scale genomic information in estimating the risk of onset for cardiac diseases, diabetes and common cancers. The findings, based on the
Assistant Professor Juha Saarikangas at HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, has been awarded the Young Investigator Grant of the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) to study cellular aging from a new
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