Hey there, you little oinkers,
This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home, and this little piggy… donated their lungs for the first pig-to-human lung transplant? This week also sees: the reintroduction of genetically modified extinct cows, Chinese biotechs reshaping drug development, more psychedelics for mental health, and CAR-T therapies rewriting the rules of cancer care.
This little piggy says, "See you next week!"
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🤯 AbbVie targets psychedelic-based depression drug market with $1.2 billion deal (Reuters): Far out, man… AbbVie is stepping boldly into the psychedelics market with a deal to acquire Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals’ experimental depression drug, bretisilocin. This next-gen psychedelic compound aims to treat major depressive disorder with a shorter psychoactive experience, but lasting therapeutic effects. While this may conjure images of hippies at Woodstock, the drug holds serious medical promise, boosting AbbVie’s neuroscience portfolio in this fast-growing space.
Our take: AbbVie's acquisition is yet another bet on psychedelics, despite the sector's mixed track record of promising starts and clinical failures – with psychedelic therapies disappointing as often as they deliver. While bretisilocin shows encouraging signs with rapid relief, without prolonged psychoactive effects, AbbVie's willingness to pay premium prices for unproven mechanisms suggests either desperation for innovation or recognition that the psychiatric drug pipeline has stalled.
🐷 First-ever pig-to-human lung transplant attempted in brain-dead person in China (Live Science): This little piggy had a transplant...In an unprecedented medical breakthrough, Chinese scientists have transplanted a genetically modified pig lung into a brain-dead 39-year-old man. The lung functioned and remained viable for nine days before the experiment ended at the family's request. While the lung initially showed success without immediate rejection, signs of an immune response and tissue damage appeared after 24 hours.
Our take: This porcine lung transplant reveals just how tricky xenotransplantation remains even under controlled experimental conditions. When immune responses and tissue damage emerge despite the absence of a functioning immune system, it rather highlights the biological hurdles still ahead for living recipients. While genetically engineered animal organs hold great promise as lifesaving solutions, advancing this field responsibly requires careful ethical consideration as it moves closer to clinical application.
🤑 Wugen woos VCs, landing $115M to bring fratricide-resistant CAR-T cell therapy to market (Fierce Biotech): Wugen’s WU-CART-007 tackles aggressive T-cell cancers, like relapsed or refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma, using clever CRISPR engineering to prevent the self-destruction that's plagued previous T-cell therapies. This first-in-class, off-the-shelf CAR-T therapy posted a 91% response rate in early trials whilst securing regulatory fast-track designations. The company aims for FDA approval by 2027 with their $115M funding round backing a push towards commercialisation.
Our take: Wugen's cracked the fratricide problem that's been driving CAR-T researchers slightly mad - essentially teaching T-cells not to self-destruct whilst hunting down their cancerous cousins. The response rate looks spectacular, though early-stage patient data has a nasty habit of flattering to deceive as trials progress. The prize will be turning this into something manufacturable at scale, which is where plenty of other CAR-T hopefuls have struggled.
🇨🇳 Drugs from China are reshaping biotech (BiopharmaDive): Western pharma is waking up to China's biotech ascension, with US and European companies increasingly licensing drugs from Chinese firms (as we've covered previously). Fuelled by government support, lower costs, and strong R&D, China has become a hotspot for early-stage assets, particularly in oncology and immunology. Licensing deals have surged in 2025, with China now accounting for 1/3 of global licensing spending.
Our take: The momentum behind Chinese biotech innovation continues building faster than many Western executives anticipated, making regular pipeline monitoring essential. While questions about regulatory frameworks and IP protection remain, global pharma must now embrace collaboration with China – not merely as a supplier, but as a partner in shaping the future of medicine. This is a new era of biotech where China’s influence is impossible to ignore.
And finally…
🐮 Giant cows hunted to extinction in 1627. Now, their ancestor is making comeback (Phys.org): Another animal-themed milestone! In a moo-mentus moment, centuries after the mighty aurochs vanished due to hunting and habitat loss, Denmark is unleashing Tauros cattle, genetically “backbred” to mirror their ancient ancestors using a breeding programme with six of the world's oldest cattle breeds. Towering at 6 feet and flaunting massive horns that would make a matador think twice, these giant grazers are set to reshape landscapes and nurture biodiversity.
Our take: The Tauros project is a clever workaround for improving Europe's biodiversity, using selective breeding rather than genetic engineering extinct megafauna. These cattle aren't true aurochs, but they're filling a similar ecological niche, as large herbivores can drive landscape-scale changes through grazing patterns. It's rewilding with a twist, whilst delivering genuine conservation benefits.
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💡 Building a biotech incubator and accelerator with Swiss Rockets Founder and CEO: Ex-handballer turned biotech founder Vladimir Cmiljanovic shares his journey of co-inventing cancer drug bimiralisib, fighting off a hostile takeover, and scaling Swiss Rockets into a powerhouse incubator driving next-gen therapies and U.S. expansion.
💊 How RNAi is expanding from a therapy of choice for rare disease into treating common conditions: Alnylam’s Paul Nioi reveals how RNAi, once a rare-disease breakthrough, is reshaping the future of drug discovery and tackling common conditions from metabolic to neurological disorders.
💉 Unintended Effects of HPV and Shingles Vaccines: New data shows vaccines may protect far beyond infection: linking HPV and shingles shots to lower cancer, dementia, and heart disease rates. Powerful evidence to shift vaccine sceptics’ perceptions.
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🧑🔬 Scientist - Molecular Biology, Nuclera: Ready to accelerate protein discovery? Design, execute, and troubleshoot experiments from PCR to protein characterisation, while juggling multiple projects, in a fast-paced biotech setting.
🔬 Associate Scientist, Analytical Development, Immunocore: Passionate about analytical innovation? Develop chromatography and electrophoresis methods powering Immunocore’s biopharma pipeline, ensuring product quality and stability in a dynamic, collaborative environment.
🥼 Protein Biochemist - Development, Oxford Nanopore Technologies: Want to drive sequencing tech forward? Improve key protein components behind DNA and RNA nanopore sequencing, collaborate across teams, and lead projects to advance next-gen biotech solutions.
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🍻 04.09 | Biotech & Beers | Edinburgh, UK: Join Bionow for an agenda-free networking evening, bringing together life sciences pros to connect, share, and unwind over drinks. Bonus: say hi to Dodo-in-chief, Belle, while you’re there!
🇬🇧 7-11.09 | Emerging Medtech Summit Europe | London, UK: Now in its fourth year, the LSI Europe event in London is a cornerstone for the global Medtech and Healthtech community, bringing together leading startups, venture capital, private equity investors, and strategic partners.
🚨 17–18.09 | The Emergency Tech Show | Birmingham, UK: Meet 8,000+ emergency service pros, explore 150+ exhibitors, and get hands-on with tech across AI, comms, drones, robotics, data, and more.
🧭 18.09 | From Idea to Market – Strategic Planning for Innovation and Growth | Online: This IBIC webinar explores how to build a three-to-five-year strategic roadmap, avoid common planning pitfalls, and align short-term actions with long-term biotech growth.
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