18–24 november ordnas Antibiotic Awareness Week, för att uppmärksamma det stora problemet med antibiotikaresistens. Fredrik Almqvist på QureTech Bio är en av forskarna som försöker hitta en lösning. – Det här är ett lika stort problem som klimathotet. Vi måste hitta nya sätt att slå ut sjukdomsframkallande bakterier, på så vis kan vi rädda miljontals liv varje år, säger han.
Venture capital company Nascent Invest has bought shares in Umeå-based QureTech Bio as part of a targeted new share issue. The multi-million SEK investment will provide long-term security for the Swedish life science company as it continues its work to discover and develop new solutions to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
A recruitment drive is underway at Diamyd Medical's new vaccine facility in Umeå after the company announced it is moving production of the GAD65 protein, the active substance in the diabetes vaccine Diamyd, from abroad to Sweden. “This move gives us greater control and more knowledge about our study drug”, says Maja Johansson, Site Manager in Umeå.
Swedish Inficure Bio has signed an agreement with a publicly listed US biopharmaceutical company that develops drugs for several chronic and life-threatening diseases. “We will now begin testing the effects of their drug substances in our unique model. The company is world-leading in drug development, so this recognition is significant for us,” says Inficure Bio’s CEO, Sofia Mayans.
HiloProbe has been granted SEK 2 million from Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova to validate a product that detects and helps treat people with colorectal cancer. “This is an important grant for us and means we can validate our product and make it available to the healthcare industry sooner,” says Lina Olsson, CEO of HiloProbe.
Umeå-based Lipigon has signed agreements with universities in Shanghai and Shenzhen to develop a new drug that can potentially reduce the number of deaths linked to Covid-19. “Right now there are very few treatments available for ARDS, which can be fatal to some Covid-19 patients. The standard treatment is oxygen and the use of respirators. We hope to change that,” says CEO, Stefan K Nilsson.
A new Facebook group is enabling companies in Umeå to buy and sell second-hand laboratory equipment, as well as gain access to cheaper lab services. “Many life science companies are often in need of a laboratory, but new equipment is expensive and requires a great deal of knowledge to operate. This new group allows companies to sustainably support each other,” says Jennie Ekbeck, CEO of UBI.
Lipigon Pharmaceuticals has attracted SEK 16.6 Million in a new share issue that will help it get nearer to its goal of reducing the number of global deaths caused by cardiovascular disease. “We are proud our new shares issue was oversubscribed, particularly during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic when many investors are feeling more cautious,” says Stefan K Nilsson, CEO.
Umeå-based QureTech Bio has received preliminary approval for a patent application in the US for a drug candidate that helps treat tuberculosis. “The US is a key market for us so this news really helps strengthen our position. We are at a very exciting stage right now,” says Fredrik Almqvist, CEO of QureTech Bio.
Construction of Diamyd Medical's new vaccine manufacturing unit in Umeå is now underway, with a number of key roles being actively recruited to help staff the new facility. Newly-appointed site manager Maja Johansson is responsible for establishing the process for the production of GAD, the active substance in the study drug Diamyd.
Umeå biotech company HiloProbe has attracted millions in new investment capital after successfully developing a diagnostic and prognostic product for colon and rectal cancer. “Capital is crucial for getting our product to patients and helping them,” says Lina Olsson, HiloProbe’s CEO.
After many years of private ownership, Vännäs-based Agrisera has been acquired by Swedish biotech company Olink Proteomics AB. “The Agrisera brand was very strong in itself, but this step offers us great opportunities that can benefit both our customers and partners,” says Erika Gelfgren, CEO of Agrisera.
Umeå-based Lipigon Pharmaceuticals AB has signed a major new agreement with Chinese biotech company HitGen to develop drug candidates that treat blood fat disorders and cardiovascular diseases. “We want to create effective treatments and contribute to a better quality of life for patients,” says Stefan K Nilsson, CEO of Lipigon.
Last summer Umeå-based UmanDiagnostics was acquired by major US life science company Quanterix for $22.5 million. Now it is recruiting additional staff at its offices in Umeå to meet an expected rise in new orders. “We’re continuing to invest and are confident we’ll come out of the Coronavirus crisis even stronger, despite the uncertainty being faced by many industries,” says Niklas Norgren, CEO.
Pro Test Diagnostics has developed a unique antidoping kit for blood doping, which will soon be out on the market. The company now takes in SEK 17 million in capital from Nascent Invest AB and the co-owner Fort Knox Förvaring AB. "There is a great need in the market. Thanks to new capital, we are taking a step in the fight against blood doping", says Anders Mannelqvist, CEO of Pro Test.
Publicly listed Diamyd Medical is to open a new vaccine manufacturing facility in Umeå. “This is fantastic news and demonstrates that Umeå is a growing life science hub,” says Jennie Ekbeck, CEO of Umeå Biotech Incubator.
Umea-based health technology company Instrube Health AB has developed a new communication app for the healthcare industry. Called Memotus, the new messaging app and platform is designed for both healthcare providers and patients, allowing them to manage consultations and follow-up visits digitally.
Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI) is strengthening its team once again with the appointments of a new Business Coach and Community Manager. “The pressure is on! Right now we have a lot of ideas developing at our incubator and several of our companies are looking to take the next step. That’s why it is so important we have sufficient resources to handle this growth”, says Jennie Ekbeck, CEO of UBI.
Dr Kristian Sandberg, Director of the Drug Discovery and Development platform at SciLifeLab, has joined the board of Umeå-based biotech company Lipum. “Kristian has extensive experience in drug development. We are absolutely delighted to announce his appointment”, says Ulf Björklund, Chairman of the Board at Lipum.
Umeå-based Inficure Bio is expanding again, as yet another employee is hired to meet the growing demand for the company's products. “Things are going really well for us right now and it feels like the perfect time to expand our team,” says Sofia Mayans, CEO of Inficure Bio.
Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI) is one of Sweden’s state-of-the-art business incubators within the life sciences. We help researchers to use their data to the benefit of patients and citizens, improving their health. We support and train entrepreneurs in the fields of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical engineering, and act as a bridge between academia, medicine and the business community.
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