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// COLLABORATIONS SWEDENBIO AWARD Fredrik Olsson, CEO, Genovis The SwedenBIO Award is given annually in collaboration with HealthCap to a life science company that has shown outstanding achievements and contributions to society and that exemplifies the potential of a strong Swedish life science industry. This year’s three award finalists were Genovis, Xbrane Biopharma, and Pelago BioScience. AstraZeneca to acquire Gracell Gracell Biotechnologies is a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. THE PROPOSED acquisition will enrich AstraZeneca’s growing pipeline of cell therapies with GC012F, a novel, clinicalstage FasTCAR-enabled BCMA and CD19 dual-targeting autologous chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, a potential new treatment for multiple myeloma, as well as other hematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus. Gracell will operate as a P R IZ E Genovis wins SwedenBIO Award Genovis' CEO, Fredrik Olsson, received the award at a prize ceremony during the SwedenBIO Summit at Grand Hôtel in Stockholm on 30th January. HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH, global presence and humor were some of the positive words describing the company Genovis, which claimed this year’s SwedenBIO Award. Genovis was founded in 1999 and is developing and supplying enzyme and antibody solutions that enable higher efficiency in the development and characterization of biopharma and ATMP products. The company has established a global presence and entered several international partnerships that have leveraged their product development. “Genovis made their way to the market with a unique combination of high-quality research and humor, which is now a successful part of their brand,” described the jury. The company also recently received USD 1 million in milestone compensation related to achieved development goals for the Xork enzyme that Genovis has licensed for therapeutic applications. Xork was discovered in a subset of streptococci that do not infect humans and the preclinical data generated to date clearly show that there are very low levels of antibodies to the enzyme in humans and that it retains its IgG specific activity in serum. NLS wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca, with operations in China and the US. Combined, the upfront and potential contingent value payments represent, if achieved, a transaction value of approximately USD 1.2 billion. NLS PHARMA B U S I NES S Susan Galbraith, EVP, Oncology Research & Development, AstraZeneca 10 | NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG PHOTO CHRISTIAN ANDERSSON APELÖGA