 |
WelcomeDespite the general doom and gloom in most Western economies, the life sciences sector seems to be bouncing back well, with September in particular seeing a flurry of innovative financings and financing of innovation. This has included a private equity investment into College Group. |
 |
From our own client stable, Forbion Capital Partners has injected cash into two European companies - leading the €18 million round for Amakem and following on in the €29.2 million round for AM-Pharma. Indeed the financing of College Hill client AM-Pharma was the one of largest life science VC rounds ever seen in the Netherlands. Earlier in the year we also supported Canada based DVS Sciences in announcing its $14 million financing, and in the UK, representing Imperial Innovations, we announced the £10 million financing of Autifony swiftly followed by the £6 million financing for Mission Therapeutics. Both of these were notable in having pharma VC partners in the rounds. We also announced the £2.15 million injection into Polytherics, which also included Imperial Innovations as a follow-on investor. Supporting our client GE Healthcare, we announced its $1 billion strategy for oncology including its $100,000 innovative collaborative initiative in breast cancer care. On the clinical front, we have also been busy in September, announcing Prosensa's progress in its collaboration with GSK and Mesoblast's first European trial with its unique stem cell product. These positive news stories have helped to sustain valuations and positive sentiment in the sector. Let's hope the good news continues for 2011.
Sue Charles
Managing Partner, Life Sciences
|
Features
Mesoblast - Supporting Outreach in Europe
College Hill Life Sciences is pleased to have been selected to support world leading stem cell company Mesoblast (ASX: MSB) with its media and investor outreach in Europe. The first project, to announce European approval for a Phase II trial of Revascor, a stem cell therapy in heart attack patients achieved excellent coverage.
View Case Study
|
Merger of Astex Therapeutics and Supergen
College Hill advised and supported Astex Therapeutics through its merger with NASDAQ-listed oncology company, SuperGen, Inc. Working closely with the management teams of both companies, College Hill also supported the launch of the newly merged group, Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTX)
View Case Study
|
In Brief
College Hill Life Sciences Remembers
Ten years ago, the world stood still in horror at the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in New York. College Hill’s Dr Douglas Pretsell was in New York at the time (we expect a good few recipients of this newsletter were there too) and several important life science industry professionals were directly or indirectly affected. College Hill would like to commemorate the dead, the injured and their loved ones on this tenth anniversary.
New Clients in 2011
College Hill Life Sciences has continued on its 2011 winning streak signing up four new clients over the summer. Two new Australian clients were joined by one each from Germany and Austria. So much for the stereotype of summers being quiet for business! Read more
Alliance with The Communications Strategy Group
College Hill Life Sciences has formed an alliance with Boston-based agency The Communications Strategy Group Inc. (CSG). This alliance will help College Hill provide a more comprehensive service to clients seeking support on both sides of the Atlantic. Read more
Cerenis Included in the Fierce15 list
We are delighted to congratulate our client Cerenis Therapeutics, the multinational biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel HDL therapies, for being awarded a place on FierceBiotech’s official Fierce15 list. This list includes 15 companies that show considerable promise as fast movers, pursuing ambitious plans to create and advance significant projects at a rapid pace. As John Carroll, the Editor of FierceBiotech, said, “Each company offers us a lesson on what it takes to create success in the drug development field.” A well deserved accolade for the work Cerenis is pursuing in the the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Read more
College Hill Life Sciences Clients Shortlisted for Prestigious SCRIP Industry Awards
Last month was announced that long-term retained clients Roche and Prosensa Therapeutics had both been shortlisted for awards in this year’s Scrip Awards. Following the nomination entries prepared and submitted by College Hill, Roche Partnering was shortlisted for all three awards entered - two nominations in the Best Partnership Alliance category and one for Licensing Deal of the Year. In the Partnership Alliance category, Roche was shortlisted for the Roche-Merck partnership in Hepatitis C and for its alliance with reMYND for the development of new medicines for neurodegenerative diseases. The team was also shortlisted for its recent deal with Marcadia in the licensing deal of the year category. Meanwhile, Prosensa, a Dutch biopharmaceutical company focusing on rare diseases with an unmet medical need - particularly Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - was shortlisted for the coveted Biotechnology Company of the Year Award. The Scrip Awards ceremony will take place on November 3rd in London, and College Hill will be hosting a table. View the Scrip Awards shortlist
Communications and M&A Integration
Can communications support the integration of pharma and biotech mergers and acquisitions? Does senior management spend enough time communicating the vision and objectives of a deal to its employees? Do company employees come low on the list of priorities when communicating to various stakeholders about a deal? As part of an MBA project, Associate Partner Nicole Yost is investigating how communications can support successful M&A integration and would welcome your thoughts and views. Please take a short time to complete this survey or email Nicole Yost with any views.
Twitter
 Follow College Hill Life Sciences on Twitter to receive the latest news and updates about the company.
|
Insights
Conducting a Perception Audit
Have you ever wondered what your key audiences really think of you as a company, your management or your products? It is a relatively simple matter to find out what the media is writing and anecdotal feedback on the conference circuit can help but there is nothing quite like a rigorous and comprehensive perception audit to bring clarity to such questions. And if properly executed, the insights a perception audit can give will help you refine your communications strategy to address messages or audiences and even help you re-point your business or sales strategy.
Read more
Events We Are Supporting
13th Medtech Investing in Europe Conference, 20% discount for delegates
4-5 October 2011
London, UK
View Website
BioPartnering Europe, 20% discount
9-11 October 2011
London, UK
For discounted registration, click here.
View Website
BIA Research and Development Conference, 10% discount
27 October 2011
London, UK
View Website
The 2011 BIA R&D conference will be the place to connect and network with the UK life science sector. With recent data from EP Vantage suggesting that R&D productivity might be turning a corner and with the UK excelling in many of the therapeutic and technical areas expected to generate the most value in the coming years: the future is looking good for life sciences R&D in the UK.
For discounted registration, click here.
BioBusiness, 15% discount
31 January–2 February 2012
London, UK
View Website
5th Annual European Life Science CEO Forum, 10% discount
6–7 March 2012
Zurich, Switzerland
View Website
Conference Roundup
Read our reports from our attendance at these recent events: EuroMedtech; BioEquity Europe; AusMedtech 2011; 18th Annual EuroBiotech Forum; Deutsche Biotechnologietage; American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting; European Mediscience Awards; BIO International Convention; BIA Summer Reception; 11th Annual Biotech in Europe Investor Forum.
View Round-up Page
People
Congratulations on recent promotions:
|
|
News
Vitruvian invests in College Group
Independent private equity group Vitruvian Partners has invested in College Group. We are very pleased to have attracted a blue chip investor who is providing fuel for growth, and is committed to retaining and investing in our highly motivated team.
View News Release
|
College Hill Life Sciences Grows Client Base in Australia
We have been steadily developing awareness and a strong reputation in the Australian market, with an increasing client base from one of the most exciting growing life science regions in the world. Clients now include Mesoblast, Phylogica, Benitec, Brandon Capital, CIMTECH and Elastagen.
View News Release
|
From Start Up to Trade Sale
mtm laboratories AG (mtm), a developer and manufacturer of In Vitro Diagnostic Devices for the early detection and diagnosis of cervical cancer and a long standing client of College Hill was acquired by Roche in July, 2011. Since 2005, College Hill has had the pleasure of supporting mtm in activities that included: website consultancy, corporate communications around investment relations and a series of diagnostic product launches and, of course, most recently the acquisition of mtm by Roche.
Visit Case Study
|
Celebrating 10 Years of Partnering at BIO 2011
Roche was eager to showcase its position as a ‘partner of choice’ in deal making at this year’s BIO International Convention in Washington (27-30 June 2011); one of the most influential events in the Roche Partnering calendar. College Hill Life Sciences worked in collaboration with Roche Partnering to make this a successful event by providing PR and media support.
View Case Study |
Prosensa Therapeutics Roundtable on Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs
College Hill is engaged by Prosensa Therapeutics to help establish its reputation as a young and dynamic company in the field of rare diseases, and to engage with all stakeholders interested in the orphan diseases space. College Hill identified the SCRIP video-recorded roundtable discussion as an excellent opportunity to showcase Prosensa’s expertise and offerings in this arena.
View Case Study
View Roundtable
|
Media Roundtable
College Hill Life Sciences organised a roundtable with top tier life sciences trade media to introduce them to Index’s Life Sciences Senior Management Team. The event raised the awareness of Index Ventures investments and generated media coverage as well as ideas for future stories.
View Case Study
|
ASCO Media Briefing
Following the attendance of Robert Burns, CEO of 4-Antibody at the prominent ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) conference in Chicago, June 2011 College Hill Life Sciences organised a media briefing in London. This provided the perfect platform for Robert, an industry expert on antibodies and oncology, to inform the UK–based media on the interesting science presented at ASCO and discuss some of the key topics as well as raise the profile of 4-antibody.
View Case Study
|
New Visual Identity and Materials
When Cellzome’s corporate identity and communications materials needed to evolve to better reflect the Company and its offerings, College Hill Life Sciences stepped in to help. This resulted in College Hill Life Sciences transforming the Company’s identity to better reflect the personality of Cellzome and its exciting science.
View Case Study
View Website
|
Enhanced Identity and New Website
College Hill Life Sciences was commissioned to refresh the identity and build a new website for EPEMED, the European Personalised Medicine Association. This not-for-profit organisation aims to create a central point of communication for all those involved in progressing personalised medicine.
View Case Study
View Website
|
Raising Awareness in the Field of Diagnostics
Lab21 is a dynamic and rapidly growing healthcare diagnostics company that has made two acquisitions earlier in 2011 as well as starting collaboration with Becton Dickinson. College Hill Life Sciences was pro-actively involved in developing media relations around these news items, as well as securing extensive media coverage.
View Case Study
|
Global Outreach
Benitec Ltd. (ASX: BLT) is the world leader in long term gene silencing using DNA-directed RNA interference (ddRNAi) for human therapeutics. College Hill was appointed in February 2011 to manage this Australian company’s financial and corporate communications in order to raise its awareness, understanding and interest with investor and industry audiences globally.
View Case Study
|
|
Meet Us At
9 - 11 October 2011
19th Annual BioPartnering Europe
London, UK - Dr Douglas Pretsell, Nicole Yost, Melanie Toyne Sewell
11 - 13 October 2011
Biotechnica
Hannover, Germany - Dr Lynne Trowbridge
16 - 19 October 2011
AusBiotech 2011
Adelaide, Australia - Sue Charles
19 October 2011
Australasian Life Science Investment Summit 2011
Adelaide, Australia - Sue Charles
|
27 October 2011
BIA Research and Development Conference
London, UK - Nicole Yost, Daniel Gooch
29 October 2011
UK Healthcare Market Access Program
Boston, USA - Rebecca Skye Dietrich
31 October - 2 November 2011
BioEurope 17th Annual International Partnering Conference
Düsseldorf, Germany - Dr Robert Mayer, Nicole Yost
|
3 November 2011
The 7th Annual Scrip Awards
London, UK - Nicole Yost, Melanie Toyne Sewell
16 - 19 November 2011
MEDICA
Düsseldorf, Germany - Dr Douglas Pretsell, Dr Lynne Trowbridge
1 December 2011
Genesis
London, UK - Sue Charles
9 - 12 December 2011
Deutsche Bank BioFest
Boston, USA - Rebecca Skye Dietrich
|
|
London Tel: +44 (0)20 7457 2020 Manchester Tel: +44 (0)1260 296 500 Munich Tel: +49 (0)89 5700 1806
Sydney Tel: +61 (0)466 924 218 Boston Tel: +01 (0)857 241 0795
|
|
www.collegehill-lifesciences.com
|
| London | Manchester | Oxford | Edinburgh | Frankfurt | Cologne | Munich | Brussels | Mumbai | Hong Kong | Singapore | Johannesburg | New York | Boston | Sydney |
|
