Weekly roundup: Conferences for the calendar and industry moves
Easter may be over, but momentum across life sciences is building. Anglonordic Life Science Conference is less than two weeks away, alongside a steady stream of clinical progress, partnerships, and industry milestones, it’s all go!
Our latest Optimum TV episode features Stephen Hansen of BioCentury and offers fresh insights into market trends and the Q2 outlook.
Registration for Optimum’s 18th Annual Healthcare Investor Conference is officially open – our flagship invite-only event. Taking place on Thursday 8thOctober 2026, at The Kings Fund, London – mark your calendars now!
Read on for your quick roundup of what’s moving and where to be.
Eli Lilly to acquire Medicxi-founded Centessa Pharmaceuticals to advance treatments for sleep-wake disorders
Eli Lilly to acquire Medicxi-founded Centessa Pharmaceuticals for $6.3 billion upfront, with a potential equity value of up to $1.5 billion. Centessa is a clinical stage company focused on developing a new class of medicines for excessive daytime sleepiness and other neurological conditions.
Kainova Therapeutics expands Phase I/II trial of DT-7012, a Treg-depleting anti-CCR8 antibody, with first patient dosed in Europe
Kainova Therapeutics, a key player for breakthrough treatments in immuno-oncology and inflammation, announced the dosing of the first patient in the European expansion of its DOMISOL Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating DT‑7012, a proprietary Treg‑depleting anti‑CCR8 monoclonal antibody, in patients with advanced solid tumours.
SonoNeu exits stealth as key part of US Government-funded research program worth up to $41.3m to advance sonogenetics into clinic
SonoNeu, a spin-out from the Salk Institute and co-founded by company igniter General Inception, on Tuesday announced its emergence from stealth as part of a major project to advance sonogenetics as a new, non-invasive treatment approach for conditions such as peripheral neuropathy.
The research program, led by The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, has been awarded up to $41.3 million from the US Government’s Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). SonoNeu will function as the commercial vehicle in the project, coordinating the translation of sonogenetics research into novel therapeutic candidates.
Poolbeg Pharma plc – Grant of first POLB 001 cancer immunotherapy-induced CRS patent
Poolbeg Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a core focus on transforming the cancer immunotherapy field, announced that it has received formal notification of the grant for its POLB 001 cancer immunotherapy-induced Cytokine Release Syndrome patent application from IP Australia, the Australian patent office.
Hansa Biopharma to host Q1 2026 interim results conference call
Hansa Biopharma will publish its interim report for January – March 2026 on 23 April, 2026. Interested parties may join the Company’s quarterly conference call on the same date at 14:00 CEST / 8:00 AM EDT, using this link. The event will be hosted by Renée Aguiar-Lucander, CEO, Evan Ballantyne, CFO, Richard Philipson, CMO, and Maria Törnsén, COO and President U.S. During the call, management will review the Company’s interim financial results and provide a business and pipeline update.
📺Optimum TV
Catch our latest episode of Optimum TV’s ‘Thought Leaders’ series in which Stephen Hansen, Director of Biopharma Intelligence at BioCentury Inc. discusses market trends and the Q2 preview. Stephen will be chairing the investor panel at the upcoming Anglonordic Life Science Conference in London on 23rd April.
Watch all our episodes here
👥Industry events
Anglonordic Life Sciences Conference XXII – London | 23rd Apr 2026
Two weeks to go! With over 100+ active life science investors already registered, join us on the 23rd of April in London for the unique opportunity to connect with decision makers in an intimate setting, and at a fraction of the cost of larger conferences.
Register today at anglonordiclifescience.com/page/registration
Bio€quity Europe Conference – Prague | 4-6th May 2026
Returning for its 26th year, Bio€quity Europe is where CEOs and investors gather to network, partner, and debate critical issues facing the biotech industry.
Interested in learning more about becoming a Presenting Company, register here.
LSX Nordic Congress – Copenhagen | 19-20th May 2026
🤝 Why Attend?
From formal partnering sessions to spontaneous coffee station conversations, this is where authentic, face-to-face connections happen. Whether you’re an innovator, investor, or strategic partner, the LSX Nordic Congress is your gateway to meaningful collaborations.
The partnering portal opens Tuesday 21st April.
Reach out to use Optimum’s exclusive F&F discount!
On Helix – Cambridge | 9th Jul 2026
Just 3 months until One Nucleus presents ON Helix – Disrupting Bio Innovation.
A one-day conference in Cambridge spotlighting and discussing breakthrough technologies, policies and business models that are shaping the drug discovery and development landscape.
An excellent opportunity to connect with the pioneers leading this next wave of disruptive innovation and ensure you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving space.
Optimum is a proud supporter of One Nucleus events and is happy to share an exclusive 10% F&F discount. Please get in touch if you would like to optimise this or connect with the team there!
Optimum’s 18th Annual Healthcare Investor Conference – London | 8th Oct 2026
Save the date – Thursday the 8th of October 2026!
Six months to go until Optimum’s 18th Annual Healthcare Investor Conference returns to the Kings Fund, London this October.
Join us for a day of invaluable insights from the thought leaders of the life sciences industry! As the conference is free, but invitation only, please register your interest to attend here: https://www.optimumcomms.com/irconference2026/
🧩Sector moves
Keep up to date with the latest industry moves here.
That’s all folks! To stay in the know – subscribe to Optimum’s weekly wrap-up today!
