#45 - Research cuts, M&A jitters, and the return of the dire wolf?
The coffee break biotech roundup, by SomX.
Good morning, biotech wolf pack!
This week’s headlines range from the fantastical to the formidable: Colossal Biosciences has revived dire‑wolf pups with CRISPR, market turbulence is cooling big‑ticket M&A, Unity Biotechnology lays off its entire team in a fight for survival, Singapore’s Nuevocor has secured $45 million to advance a first‑in‑human gene‑therapy trial for genetic heart disease, and a White House-Harvard showdown is choking off early‑stage funding.
Until the next full‑moon,
Dodo
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Discover 🔍
🐺 Scientists say they revived dire wolf through biotech company's de-extinction process (ABC News): Colossal Biosciences has stunned the world yet again, using CRISPR gene editing technology to “bring back” the dire wolf. By sequencing dire wolf DNA extracted from fossils, the company have genetically edited the DNA of a grey wolf to mirror the DNA of the dire wolf. Two of the dire wolves were born late last year – birthed buy surrogate dogs – while the third arrived in early 2025.
Our take: The brains at Colossal have hit the headlines yet again (we aren’t mad, we support our extinct brethren!) But, as ever with their work, skepticism is rife – can we truly call these wolves clones if they are in fact a different species, albeit genetically altered? This breakthrough also raises profound ethical and ecological questions. What role will these resurrected creatures play in today’s ecosystems? And as private companies like Colossal push the boundaries of de-extinction, who gets to decide which species come back-and why?
🪓 Bay area biotech company Unity lays off every single worker, including CEO (SFGATE): Unity Biotechnology, once a Bay Area biotech darling with a $700 million valuation and backing from big names like Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel, is laying off its entire workforce – including the CEO – in a dramatic bid to conserve cash and explore "strategic alternatives". The company, which had only 16 employees left at the start of 2025, will let everyone go by May 15th, spending $3.7 million of its $16.9 million cash reserves on severance.
Our take: Despite scientific promise and high-profile backing, Unity’s collapse is a sobering reminder of how difficult it is to turn cutting-edge research into viable therapies-and, ultimately, into a sustainable business. With unsuccessful clinical trials, more than $510 million in financial losses, and no drugs yet brought to market, Unity’s future now hangs precariously in the balance.
💉 Facing ‘uncertainty on steroids,’ biotech dealmakers tread more cautiously (Biopharma Dive): After a promising start to 2025 with blockbuster deals like Johnson & Johnson’s $14.6 billion acquisition of Intra-Cellular Therapies, biotech M&A momentum has cooled as market volatility and political uncertainty spook buyers. Big pharma is now treading carefully, wary of overpaying amid stock market swings, while sellers are pressured to lower expectations, but reluctant to budge. Dealmakers are in wait-and-see mode, and confidence is shaky despite the sector’s urgent need to replenish drug pipelines and address looming patent cliffs.
Our take: After years of sky-high valuations and blockbuster deals, biotech now finds itself paralysed by political uncertainty and wild market swings. The return of President Trump, once seen as a green light for dealmaking, has also added fuel to the fire – making even the boldest buyers think twice before writing billion-dollar checks. This caution isn’t just about protecting balance sheets – it’s a sign that confidence, the lifeblood of big deals, is in short supply.
🇸🇬 Singapore-based biotech firm Nuevocor raises $45 million in Series B round (Business Times): Singapore’s Nuevocor has raised $45 million in a Series B round led by Kurma Partners and Angelini Ventures. The funds will launch first-in-human clinical trials in the US and Europe for NVC-001, a pioneering gene therapy targeting LMNA-related dilated cardiomyopathy (a devastating genetic heart disease, which currently has no cure). The company hopes their clinical push will bring hope to over 100,000 patients affected by this condition in the US and Europe.
Our take: $45 million is no mean feat in this funding environment, and Nuevocor will be relying on the fresh cash injection to give their clinical programmes the boost they need for patient impact. Moreover, the raise – backed by heavyweight investors from both Asia and Europe – highlights Singapore as a serious biotech player, and growing international confidence in Asia’s biotech ecosystem.
And finally…
🇻🇮 Trump-era cuts, Harvard fight threaten biotech’s riskiest bets (Bloomberg): Sweeping Trump-era cuts to federal research funding and an escalating feud with Harvard are rattling the biotech sector. Over half of biopharma companies now expect tougher times raising money for early-stage drug development, as investors grow skittish in a volatile, high-risk environment. With VC funding drying up and NIH grants slashed, promising medical innovations and breakthrough therapies could soon stall – or disappear completely – before reaching patients.
Our take: President Trump’s doubling down on deep cuts to science and research funding, could choke the very engine that drives medical breakthroughs: technological advances, and the training of future leaders. The ripple effects would be felt not just at Harvard, but across the nation’s entire research and biotech ecosystem – potentially stalling life-saving discoveries and undermining America’s global scientific leadership.
Tune in 🎧
🦀 TCR-NK – A novel cell therapy transforming cancer treatment: Are TCR-NK treatments poised to revolutionise cell therapies for cancer? Namir Hassan, CEO of Zelluna, discusses.
🇻🇮 Assessing the impact of Trump’s first 100 days on science and health policy: STAT covers President Trump's first 100 days, the resurgence of biotech M&A, successful drug launches, and Eli Lilly's PBM challenge.
💪 A bet that myostatins can muscle out obesity: Martin Brenner, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of iBIO shares his insights on obesity, the limits of GLP-1 agonists, and the potential for myostatin inhibitors as a next-generation obesity therapy.
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🇧🇪 12-14.05 | Bio€quity Europe 2025 | Brugge, Belgium: The event is a key networking and partnering event for the biopharma industry, bringing together investors and company representatives.
👩🏻💻 14.05 | Women in Biotech | Edinburgh, UK: Join this networking event and conversation at the Royal College of Physicians to discuss the findings on the recent report on Women in biotech leadership.
🇺🇲 15.05.25 | US Pharma and Biotech Summit | New York, USA: The Summit 2025, organised by FT Live will bring together top executives, investors and experts to share powerful insights into the future of life sciences in America and globally.
🇬🇧 21-22.05.25 | CHEM UK 2025 | Birmingham, UK: An opportunity to engage with 550 exhibitors and 100 leading experts in the chemicals, process engineering, and formulated product industries.
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