Hello, my fellow gym-goers,
This week has been a full-body workout in the world of biotech: Novartis has walked out on its BioArctic deal, Lonza has bulked up stateside with five Merck KGaA sites, a protein that protects the “glue” inside eggs could boost IVF for older women, vibrating mattresses could help shake Alzheimer’s protein out of the brain, and Joe Wicks meets Frankenstein as scientists build tiny robots powered by living muscle.
Don’t skip leg day!
Dodo
If you’d like to sponsor a future edition of Biotech Dodo, send us a message.
Discover 🔍
🥶 BioArctic left out in the cold as Novartis walks away from $800M neuro collab (Fierce Biotech): Just 14 months after signing a deal worth up to $800M to deliver one of its antibodies across the blood-brain barrier using BioArctic’s BrainTransporter technology, Novartis has turned its back on Swedish biotech BioArctic. The pharma company says the decision followed a review of its early research priorities rather than any safety or efficacy concerns, but the exit comes amid wider pipeline setbacks alongside Novartis’ recent $125M acquisition of Sironax’s rival brain-delivery platform.
Our take: The collapse of Novartis’ BioArctic partnership highlights the uneven economics of biotech dealmaking. For Novartis, $30M bought time to evaluate a potentially valuable delivery platform without committing to its full development, whilst for BioArctic, $772M of the headline $800M depended on milestones that will now never materialise. As pharma increasingly uses milestone-based partnerships, smaller biotechs signing similar deals face real uncertainty over how much of that money they will actually see.
💰 Lonza agrees to buy 5 Merck KGaA facilities to accelerate US expansion (BioSpace): Lonza is set to more than double its US manufacturing footprint with the acquisition of five Merck KGaA facilities, in a deal worth several hundred million Swiss francs. The sites strengthen Lonza’s capabilities in antibody-drug conjugates, viral vectors and fill-finish manufacturing, positioning it to capitalise on high demand for complex biologics, and are expected to generate CHF 250M in sales in 2028.
Our take: The deal says as much about Merck KGaA as it does about Lonza. The revenue-generating sites predominantly make drugs for other companies, but Lonza’s CEO says they are running “way below” their potential. Merck would rather focus on its core Life Science business than fill that capacity, while Lonza sees it as room to grow – and is prepared to accept thinner margins until the sites hit peak sales in the mid-2030s.
🥚 Egg ‘glue’ could boost IVF success for older women (The Times): Scientists have identified a protein that could help slow age-related fertility decline by protecting the molecular structures that keep chromosomes organised inside eggs. Researchers at Japan’s Chiba University found that restoring the protein OMC1 in mice partly recovered chromosome cohesion and reduced abnormalities associated with infertility and miscarriage. The findings suggest a potential new approach to improving egg quality and IVF outcomes in older women.
Our take: Because eggs can be handled and assessed outside the body, IVF is the fastest route from mouse data to human application. But that creates a novel regulatory category: a treatment intended not to create a pregnancy directly, but to reduce chromosomal errors in a single human egg before fertilisation. Regulators, embryologists and ethics bodies would need to decide what evidence is enough to call an egg “improved”.
🛌 Vibrating mattress helps clear Alzheimer’s protein from the brain (New Scientist): Researchers at the University of Oulu have identified a potential approach to clearing an Alzheimer’s-related protein from the brain, combining whole-body vibration with nitric oxide-releasing medication. In a study of 29 healthy adults, blood levels of beta-amyloid 42 rose by 35% after the intervention, suggesting faster clearance by the brain’s glymphatic waste-disposal system. Clinical trials are planned to determine whether these effects translate into meaningful clinical benefits.
Our take: The method relies on blood vessels widening and squeezing more strongly, and was tested in healthy adults. However, many people with Alzheimer’s have amyloid building up in the walls of their brain’s blood vessels, which makes them stiffer and more fragile, raising questions about whether those vessels can respond to vibration and nitric oxide, and whether forcing them carries a bleeding risk.
And finally…
💪 Real muscles let tiny robots jump, swim, and grasp (Futurity): Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed biohybrid robots powered by lab-grown mouse muscle tissue, which are capable of jumping, swimming, walking and grasping objects. By using computer simulations to optimise how living muscle interacts with 3D-printed hydrogel scaffolds, the team achieved up to 11 times greater range of motion than earlier systems with a comparable amount of muscle. The research represents a significant advance in biohybrid robotics; however, challenges remain around sustaining the living tissue.
Our take: These devices sit in the awkward grey zone between a machine and a living organism. While the work stays in the lab, questions like how the tissue will be kept alive can be kicked down the road; however, if the technology moves towards larger systems with artificial blood supplies, regulators (and scientists) will have to decide exactly what they’re dealing with.
Tune in 🎧
🦀 Translating a new discovery into a novel cancer therapy with Grid Therapeutics’ Ned Patz, M.D.: Grid’s co-founder covers GT103’s origins, the challenges of securing funding for new cancer treatments, and the leadership lessons of building a lean biotech with two clinical-stage programmes.
📈 Biotech market outlook: M&A, AI, IPOs and clinical breakthroughs: A panel of analysts examine pharma dealmaking prospects, Alnylam’s commercial challenges, AI’s growing role in drug development and shifting investor appetite.
🧬 Genprex bets on a one-time gene therapy for diabetes (Part 3 of 3): Genprex’s CEO discusses the company’s shift from oncology into diabetes, the realities of scaling gene therapy manufacturing, and competing with GLP-1 therapies in the evolving metabolic disease market.
Apply ✍️
💡 Technical Project Lead, Indegene: Interested in leading digital marketing projects for global healthcare brands? You’ll coordinate client stakeholders and international delivery teams, overseeing content production, web development and campaign execution to ensure projects run smoothly and meet commercial objectives. (UK)
🧑🔬 Lead In Silico Business Partner, Biology, Evotec: Passionate about shaping the future of AI-driven drug discovery? You’ll lead the integration of AI and computational biology across global research programmes, using proprietary multi-omics data to accelerate target identification, validation and precision medicine development. (UK or Italy)
🎷 Associate Director, Epidemiology, Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Keen to turn real-world data into evidence for rare cancers? You’ll design natural history studies and external control arms for oncology programmes spanning rare haematological cancers and solid tumours, lead post-marketing studies and author the epidemiology sections of global regulatory documents. (UK or US – remote)
RSVP 📆
A London special!
🔬 10.11 | Genomics and Precision Medicine Congress 2026 | London, UK: A one-day congress bringing together genomics leaders, clinicians and researchers to explore how genomics and precision medicine can move from research into routine clinical care.
🇬🇧 10-11.11 | Global Pharma and Biotech Summit 2026 | London, UK: Hosted by the Financial Times, the conference brings together global industry leaders, investors and journalists to discuss US-China geopolitical tensions and the rise of India and China as innovation hubs.
🏙️ 15-20.11 | London Life Sciences Week 2026 | London, UK: A week of 100+ networking, dealmaking and innovation events across central London, bringing together investors, founders, policymakers and business leaders from around the world.
💷 16.11 | LSX Investival Showcase London | London, UK: The opening event of London Life Sciences Week, connecting life science executives with capital and partners through showcases and 1:1 partnering meetings.
💂 18-19.11 | London Biotechnology Show | London, UK: Europe’s flagship red biotechnology event, bringing together global biotech leaders, researchers and investors to explore healthcare innovation, forge partnerships and accelerate investment across the life sciences sector.
Got news, jobs or events you think are worth coo-ing over? Post an event here, or email us at biotechdodo@substack.com!
We’re SomX, a communications and creative agency trusted by biotech, pharma and healthtech pioneers. We craft strategy, content, PR and design that translate complex biology into compelling stories and investor-ready excitement. Get in touch to amplify your science beyond the lab bench.