Aurora Cannabis Inc and Aurora Europe GmbH, authorised producer and distributor of medical cannabis, have chosen Barcelona as the location for their subsidiary Aurora Medicine España.

Aurora was established in 2006 on the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and is currently traded on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges and operates in 25 countries. In Europe, the group does business in 13 countries, with its headquarters in Germany.

The medicinal products it offers are based on cannabis with different concentrations of THC and CBD, and made according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure quality and safety.  ...

Minoryx Therapeutics, a CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, has received the orphan drug designation in the treatment of Friedreich’s Ataxia from its leading drug candidate, leriglitazone (MIN-102), by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). In 2016, the biotech company obtained orphan drug designation granted in addition to X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD).

Minoryx will be able to receive scientific advice in the clinical development and market exclusivity of 7 to 10 years.

Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA) is a severe, rare, genetic neurodegenerative disease that affects one in 40,000 people globally and has an onset between 5and ...

Anaconda Biomed, a medical technology company developing a next-generation thrombectomy system for the treatment of ischemic stroke, has announced the completion of initial patient cases in a first-in-human study at the Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital. 

This 125-patient, prospective, multi-center study will assess system safety and reperfusion measured using the modified treatment in cerebral infarction (mTICI) score. Study data will be used to support a regulatory submission to the US Food and Drug Administration.

“Our goal is to minimize the risk of death and disability following a stroke, and we look forward to using the study results to move us ...

Neos Surgery, an innovative medical device company and CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, is part of a European consortium that has received €3.9 million from the European Commission to develop new treatments and medical devices to help improve quality of life for patients with multiple sclerosis. The funding is part of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Initial Training Network under the Horizon 2020 programme.

The PMSMatTrain consortium will be hiring 15 early stage researchers with international experience. Two of these researchers will join the Neos Surgery team at Parc Tecnològic del Vallès (Barcelona). Candidates interested in this position can submit their application ...

Kiversal, a start-up that designs and manufactures medical devices with internet connectivity and a CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, has moved to its new offices at Carrer Àvila 50, in the 22@ Barcelona district.

After three years at the Barcelona Activa incubator, Kiversal is tackling new business challenges, such as marketing its first product: the Audixi 10.

Presentation at Medica 2019

Audixi 10 is a line of digital audiometers that uses IoT technology to accelerate medical procedures, reduce maintenance costs and guarantee metrological calibration. From 18 to 21 November, the company will be presenting this line at the premier medical-technology fair ...

Telstar, a CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, presents their latest smart developments in the analytical technology field for pharmaceutical freeze drying systems and aseptic manufacturing processes, together with laboratory integrated management systems, at the CPhI Worldwide 2019 from 5 to 7 November in Frankfurt (Germany). 

The company, part of the Azbil Group, has designed new solutions to respond to Industry 4.0 challenges in the life science sector: Lyogistics Zero, the only automatic vial loading and unloading system for freeze-drying processes which can be cleaned (CIP) and sterilized (SIP) in place; Lyonuc®, a nucleation induction method; Lyogistics Smart R3 ...

Palex Medical, medical technology group of CataloniaBio & HealthTech, announces the acquisition of Bemascé Técnica.

Bemascé Técnica is a company founded in 2000 in Madrid, focused on the implementation, sale and distribution of high-tech equipment for neonatal care and the critical patient.

Xavier Carbonell, CEO of Palex, highlights: “With this acquisition and our extensive knowledge of the Spanish market, in which we have been present for more than 60 years, we will access new specialties that will strengthen our leadership in the sector and expand our ability to satistfy the challenges demanded by the Spanish health services”.

The majority shareholder ...

Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona, a CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, has launched a new 3D-printing platform for research, teaching and clinical applications involving highly complex cardiovascular diseases.

Analysis of biomedical imaging and 3D printing are revolutionising the way doctors approach and plan operations. So far, 14 patients have already benefited from this advance.

The platform is supported by the Cardiology Unit, the Centro de Investigaciónen Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV) and the Research Institute of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau.

More information is available on the hospital website and in this ...

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Doing more with less. What company wouldn’t sign up? Well, the key is applying the Lean methodology created by Toyota in the 1950s but adapting it to each company’s culture and sector.

Lean is based on an organisational system that improves long-term efficiency and sustainability using a series of tools recommended by experts. In Catalonia, companies like Kern Pharma, Leanbio Pro and Qiagen are pioneers in making this philosophy part of their day-to-day business.

All three of them shared their experience at the Lessons Learned session hosted by CataloniaBio & HealthTech on 24 October at the Barcelona Science ...

The CataloniaBio & HealthTech board met with Director General for Industry Matilde Vilarroya this week, after learning of her interest in the needs and concerns of companies in the healthcare and biomedicine sector in Catalonia in order to continue improving international competitiveness.

The board was represented by CataloniaBioHT President and CEO of Specipig Jaume Amat, First Vice-president of CataloniaBioHT and CEO of Neos Surgery Lluís Chico, and Secretary General Melqui Calzado.

Also at the meeting were Director of Competitive Strategy for the Directorate General for Industry Alberto Pezzi and Head of Strategic Analysis Miquel Hernández.

Catalonia is one of the ...

Zymvol Biomodeling, a CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, wins Phase II of the SME Instrument funded by the European Commission. The start-up will receive €1.3 million for the project Unlock-Edd: Unlock next generation computer guided Enzyme Discovery & Design. 

The project goals are to keep improving the proprietary technology by implementing artificial intelligence approaches, the development of a computational pipeline for enzyme kits, and the development of proprietary enzymes.

Enzymes (biocatalysts) are increasingly used in a number of different industrial sectors with the aim to operate in a more sustainable way. Zymvol, based in Barcelona, is specialised in in ...

Dr Jesus Acebillo, former CEO of Novartis Spain and president of Farmaindustria, has joined the investment committee for the Inveready Biotech III fund. This is Inveready’s third vehicle specialising in the life sciences. The fund was set up this year with the aim of investing in 20 biotechnology companies.

“Inveready has been making a decisive contribution to the development of the biotechnology sector in our country for years now. It is an honour to be part of the expansion and consolidation of this activity,” said Jesus Acebillo.

“Jesus Acebillo’s experience and network of contacts is a very valuable asset ...

Ferrer has launched an open innovation program, called Ferrer 4 Future, with the aim to select start-ups to develop disruptive health solutions through the use of digital technologies.

The program has three challenges: enhance care for chronic patients, improve patient engagement and adherence, and reduce chronic pain.

The advisory board is formed by several managers of the company: Ricardo Castrillo, Managing Director Spain; Olga Fidalgo, Chief Officer R&D, Business Development & Medical Affairs; Óscar Pérez, Chief Marketing Officer, and Gemma Estrada, Director of Digital Health.

Ferrer, with a turnover of €634 million in 2018 and presence in 90 countries ...

Almirall, a CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, and Dermira have started the Phase III study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of lebrikizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.

It is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The study is expected to enroll a total of 800 adult and adolescent patients at approximately 200 sites in the United States, Europe and Asia.

Topline results from the 16-week induction period expected in the first half of 2021.

In June 2019, Almirall signed with Dermira a license agreement under which Almirall acquired exclusive license rights to develop lebrikizumab for the treatment or ...

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) is one of the six centres to be awarded accreditation in this round of the Severo Ochoa excellence programme by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Furthermore, IBEC is the only centre that receives this accreditation for the second time.

IBEC Director Josep Samitier expressed his gratitude for the award and highlights that: “the progress that bioengineering has experienced in the 21st century allows to face challenges of new diagnoses and therapies for diseases without an adequate solution, so that clinicians will be able to develop a more personalized, precise and ...

Peptomyc, a CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, announces it has appointed Dr Manuela Niewel as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Niewel will assume responsibility for leading Peptomyc’s overall clinical development, regulatory and medical affairs activities.

Peptomyc is currently completing its pre-clinical safety studies with OMO103, its first-in-class peptide compound against MYC, an oncoprotein deregulated in most types of cancer. OMO103 has demonstrated its anti-tumor activity in multiple mouse models.

“We are convinced that Manuela’s deep experience in patients, innovative drug development and regulatory strategy will contribute to the successful implementation of our clinical trials in 2020” says Laura Soucek and Marie-Eve Beaulieu ...

Rob Surgical, the company responsible for designing and developing the new Bitrack System to universalise high precision surgery, has closed a €5 million investment round with the holding Scranton Enterprises to fund the final phase of the project and launch the product on the market. Osborne Clarke and RCD law firms provided advice throughout the process.This investment will allow us to obtain CE certification in 30 months.The Bitrack System will be an alternative to the current laparoscopy surgical robot Da Vinci, and will be an improvement on what is currently available in terms of efficiency. "Our value proposition ...

The Centre of Male Infertility and Analysis of Barcelona (CIMAB), a spin-off of the Autonomous University of Barcelona and CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, has closed a deal with Israeli company MFC to distribute its Sperm VD device, which more efficiently stores sperm for fertility treatments, in Spain and Portugal.

What sets this device apart from current cryopreservation methods used for sperm is that “it provides a suitable solution in cases of severe masculine infertility, as it can cryopreserve even very small numbers of sperm,” highlights Dr Agustí Garcia, general manager of CIMAB.

More than 70 million couples all over ...

The advisory council for the National Pact for the Knowledge Society (PNSC) was set up on 20 September in Barcelona in the presence of President of the Government of Catalonia Quim Torra and Catalan Minister of Business and Knowledge Àngels Chacón. The event also featured Secretary General for Business and Knowledge Joaquim Ferrer, Secretary General for Universities and Research Francesc Xavier Grau, and PNSC coordinator Mercè Chacón.

The council is chaired by former rector of the University of Barcelona Màrius Rubiralta and made up of 38 figures from the academic, scientific, business and social arenas, including former Catalan Minister of ...

Ability Pharma, a CataloniaBio & HealthTech member, has closed a €2.3-million round of funding to complete Phase II clinical trials on its drug for endometrial and lung cancer (ABTL0812). Later, the objective is to reach a licensing agreement with a pharmaceutical company to continue development and commercialisation of the drug.

Participants in theinvestment round included the new venture capital fund Inveready Biotech III managed by Inveready and the FiTalent corporate venture fund of Everis Group. Last December, Ability raised €1.2 million euros through a crowdfunding round with Capital Cell.

“We’ve seen promising results in the ongoing clinical trials ...