Life sciences span a wide range of disciplines that study living organisms in six categories, from molecules and cells to ecosystems and human health. The category that intersects in our world is Applied Life Sciences. And more specifically these fields that translate biological knowledge into practical solutions.
- Biotechnology – using living systems for technology and innovation
- Pharmacology – drug action and development
- Biomedical Science – disease mechanisms, diagnostics, therapeutics
- Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine – cell-based therapies
In this monthly report you will find news and highlights in the Applied Life Science.
Biotechnology
Touchlight Partners with SVF Vaccines to Advance Innovative Hepatitis B/D Vaccine to Clinic
Touchlight, a biotechnology company specialising in cell-free DNA manufacturing, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with SVF Vaccines to progress SVF’s innovative Hepatitis B/D vaccine into clinical development.
neuroClues® raises a Series A to bring AI powered neurological biomarkers to every clinician in Europe and prepares U.S. entry
neuroClues announces a €10 million Series A to accelerate one of the fastest clinical rollouts in European neurotech, while concurrently securing additional non-dilutive funding, bringing the total capital raised by neuroClues to €25 million.
BSM Biotech Holding Launches Operations to Build Next Generation of Breakthrough Biotech Companies
BSM Biotech Holding GmbH (“BSM”), a newly launched biotech venture builder, announced that it has formally commenced operations and is emerging from stealth mode. BSM aims to translate cutting-edge scientific discoveries into high-value therapeutic assets by founding and building new biotechnology companies around breakthrough innovations primarily sourced from leading academic institutions.
Pharmacology
CMS Extends GENEROUS Model Application Deadline for Drug Manufacturers
CMS announced it would extend the application deadline for drug manufacturers to apply to the GENErating cost Reductions for U.S. Medicaid (GENEROUS) Model from March 31, 2026, to April 30, 2026, giving more time to manufacturers interested in taking part in this model.
Relaxera Receives FDA IND Clearance for Relaxin-2 in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and in Atrial Fibrillation and Announces European Phase II Clinical Trial Initiation in H1 2026
Relaxera, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on cardio-metabolic diseases, announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for relaxin-2, a synthetic form of the naturally occurring human peptide hormone, for the treatment of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) as well as Atrial Fibrillation. The IND clearance enables Relaxera to initiate Phase II clinical trials in said indications in the US, marking a pivotal milestone in the company’s mission to bring a differentiated, mechanism-driven therapy to a patient population with critical unmet medical need.
Kupando Secures Additional €10 Million in Series A Financing to Advance Novel Immuno-Oncology and Infectious Diseases Programs
Kupando, a pioneering biopharmaceutical company developing a TLR 4/7 agonist that stimulates innate immunity and induces trained immunity for use in oncology and infectious diseases, announced that it has secured an additional €10 million in Series A financing. This latest investment brings Kupando’s total Series A funding to €23 million.
Biomedical
OFD Life Sciences Awarded Patent for Breakthrough Innovation in ODT Manufacturing
OFD Life Sciences, a division of Oregon Freeze Dry, has been awarded a patent for its LyoPastille® oral delivery platform. This innovative technology, coupled with OFD Life Science’s 63 years of lyophilization expertise, produces orally dissolving tablets (ODTs) with improved absorption and bioavailability of ingredients being delivered, while enhancing the user experience via superior taste and texture. These benefits provide developers across the biopharma, med tech, animal health, and consumer health markets with a powerful, novel tool for product delivery.
BIOTRONIK Announces First U.S. Commercial Implant of Solia CSP S, World’s First Pacing Lead Specifically Designed for LBBAP
BIOTRONIK, a global leader in cardiovascular medical technology, announced the first commercial implant of the Solia CSP S pacing lead, marking its first use in routine clinical practice following U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. The procedure was successfully completed by Xiaodong (Andy) Zhang, MD, PhD, Director, Moses EP Lab, Montefiore Health System, New York.
MedTech and Medical Devices
iPerf enrolls first patient in clinical trial of innovative dual-flow femoral arterial cannula for cardiopulmonary support
iPerf, a company specializing in the development of innovative medical devices for cardiopulmonary support, announces the first use of its new dual-flow femoral arterial cannula in a human patient. This transformative device integrates an additional flow to prevent the risk of limb ischemia in the cannulated leg, a major challenge in critical care and cardiac surgery, and features an innovative positioning system for percutaneous placement, ensuring greater precision for clinicians.
Verana Health and Guardant Health Partner to Advance Precision Medicine with Real-World Data
Verana Health®, a digital health company dedicated to revolutionizing patient care and clinical research through real-world data (RWD), has announced a new partnership with leading precision oncology company Guardant Health Inc. (Nasdaq: GH) that will allow biopharmaceutical researchers to access the combined resources of Verana’s regulatory-grade, therapeutic-specific EHR curated datasets from leading medical societies and academic and community medical centers and Guardant’s clinicogenomic testing data to accelerate the development of new therapies and enhance on-going patient care.
Boston Imaging and NeuroLogica Unify Under Samsung HME America, Announcing Brand Update and Strategic Advancements
Samsung Medison announces that its U.S. medical imaging businesses, previously operating as NeuroLogica and Boston Imaging, will unify under a new corporate identity, Samsung HME (Healthcare and Medical Equipment) America. This transition brings the company’s U.S. ultrasound, digital radiography, and computed tomography (CT) operations under one integrated structure that reflects the global Samsung brand behind its technology.
Jabil Announces Collaboration with HSE to Accelerate Diagnostic Instrument Design and Development
Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine
Biotium’s New Cell Barcoding Kit Streamlines Flow Cytometry with 15-Sample, Single-Tube Multiplexing
Biotium, a provider of fluorescent reagents and kits for life science research, announces the release of the ViaPlex™ 2-Color Cell Barcoding Kit. Combining fluorescent staining with two reactive dyes, the ViaPlex™ kit allows researchers to label and combine up to 15 distinct cell populations for multiplex analysis in a single tube, reducing reagent consumption and sample running time without compromising data quality.
Quintessance Biotech Unveils the First Living Artificial Cell for Millions of Patients Worldwide
Quintessence Biotech reinvents bio-separation to remove the manufacturing bottleneck that has kept cell and gene therapy available to only 1% of eligible patients. CGT can finally become a standard of care.
Touchlight and New England Biolabs® unveil EnClose™ Cell-free dbDNA™ Synthesis Kit to accelerate next generation DNA and RNA therapeutic development
Touchlight, in collaboration with New England Biolabs (NEB®), announces the launch of the EnClose™ Cell-free dbDNA™ Synthesis Kit, a new benchtop solution enabling rapid enzymatic production of Touchlight’s proprietary doggybone DNA™ (dbDNA™). This linear, covalently closed, double-stranded DNA format offers researchers a fast, cell-free alternative to traditional plasmid DNA, supporting the growing demand for nucleic acid therapeutics.
Clinical Studies and Trials
Perceptive eClinical and Kayentis partner to tackle increasing digital system complexity in global clinical trials
Perceptive eClinical, a trusted leader in Interactive Response Technology (IRT), and Kayentis, a global provider of electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) solutions, announce a strategic partnership to deliver a fully integrated best-of-breed eCOA–IRT offering for clinical trials. The alliance provides sponsors and CROs with a powerful alternative to single-vendor systems, combining two specialist platforms in a seamless and unified experience.
Matricelf (TASE: MTLF) Enters Strategic Collaboration with Sheba Medical Center to Advance First in Human Clinical Program in Spinal Cord Injury
Matricelf Ltd., a regenerative medicine company developing autologous engineered neural tissue therapies, announced a strategic collaboration with Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, ranked 7th globally by Newsweek, to support the execution of its first in human clinical trial in spinal cord injury.
Neurizon preclinical data show NUZ-001 boosts dual protein-clearance pathways in ALS models
Neurizon Therapeutics has reported new preclinical data showing that its lead compound NUZ-001 and its sulfone metabolite enhance multiple protein clearance pathways in human neuronal models. The studies indicate increased activity in both autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system, key mechanisms for removing misfolded and aggregated proteins implicated in diseases such as ALS.
U of A launches rapamycin clinical trial with philanthropic support of alumnus Ken Coit
Researchers at the University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy will begin a double-blind, randomized Phase 3 clinical trial this year to evaluate whether a drug used to prevent organ transplant rejection can also improve older adults’ resilience and immune function.
Events
FDA Grand Rounds
When: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Register for this event.
FDA Grand Rounds presented by the Office of Women’s Health: FDA Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) Labeling: Historical Context and Recent Changes – This lecture will provide the historical and regulatory context of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) which led to the creation of the Women’s Health Initiative studies, as well as the results of those studies and the subsequent impact. The lecture will also describe the rationale for the FDA’s requests to update the MHT labeling and describe the labeling changes in each of the four MHT product categories.
Bio-IT World Conference & Expo
When: May 19-21, 2026
Where: Boston, MA
Event Page
Hashtag: #BioITExpo
Register for this event.
The Bio-IT World Conference & Expo is the premier global event showcasing technologies and analytic approaches that solve problems, accelerate science, and drive the future of precision medicine. Now in its 25th year, the event convenes more than 2,900 leaders from biopharma, clinical research, healthcare, informatics, and technology to exchange ideas, showcase solutions, and spark collaborations that push the boundaries of biomedical research, drug discovery, and patient outcomes. Spanning 200+ sessions—including plenary keynotes, symposia, technical workshops, and hands-on demonstrations—Bio-IT World offers unmatched opportunities to explore the tools, platforms, and strategies redefining R&D and clinical care. From AI, generative AI, and machine learning to multimodal and real-world data strategies, FAIR/Open Source practices, pilot programs, new product launches, and biotech investment trends, attendees engage in transformative conversations that translate innovation into measurable value.
BIO International Convention
When: June 22-25, 2026
Where: San Diego, CA
Event Page
Register for this event.
Touted as the largest and most comprehensive event for biotechnology, the BIO International Convention includes the full ecosystem of biotech. Organizers explain that it is the place to reconnect with your “why”—or the place where you remember your goal is to improve lives. It also fosters building relationships and making connections through their proprietary BIO Partnering meeting-scheduling platform, which is available with the Premier Access registrations.
