Weekly Roundup: Women’s health perspectives
AC Immune First Half 2026 Financial and Corporate Update
AC Immune SA (NASDAQ: ACIU), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing targeted therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, provided a corporate and financial update for the half-year ended June 30, 2026. The period saw strong advances across the Company’s pipeline, with its partnered programs generating considerable milestone payments as its focused portfolio of wholly-owned programs approach key near-term clinical milestones.
🎙️Optimum Perspectives Podcast
Women’s Health is attracting more scientific and investment interest than it has in years. But many conditions are still managed symptomatically rather than treated at the level of underlying biology.
In the latest Optimum Perspectives podcast, three biotech leaders and a seasoned healthcare investor discuss what is genuinely changing across the field, from the shift towards disease-modifying science, to the challenge of building a commercial case in first-in-disease therapeutics.
Hosted by Optimum’s Isabelle Abdou, the episode features Colleen Acosta, CEO of Freya Biosciences; Agnes Arbat, CEO of Oriva Therapeutics; Jean Duvall, CEO of ReproNovo; and Hakan Goker, Managing Director at M Ventures.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here
📺Optimum TV
When we can meet potential business partners virtually at the touch of a button, does getting together in person still matter?
Claire Macht, who is responsible for Informa Connect’s BIO-Europe, the annual biopharma dealmaking conference, argues it is. Decisions are more complex than they were, and deals often involve bigger sums, so knowing all you can about a potential partner is absolutely essential, she says.
In this episode, Claire also outlines how #BIOEurope is changing to best meet the needs of biotech and pharma, and why such “neutral forums” provide an important space for frank industry discussion.
👥Industry events
Optimum’s 18th Annual Healthcare Investor Conference – London | 8th Oct 2026
Maximising Europe’s Potential – The theme of Optimum’s Annual Healthcare Investor Conference 2026.
This week we announced a second fireside chat between seasoned life science investment manager, Gareth Powell, Head of Healthcare and manager of the Healthcare Opportunities Fund with Polar Capital and healthcare corporate development & business analysis consultant, Eva Haas, Managing Director of Optimum Strategic Communications.
The invitation-only event takes place on Thursday 8th October and features leading speakers from the healthcare and investment communities. Register your interest in attending today: https://www.optimumcomms.com/irconference2026/
BIO-Europe 2026 – Cologne, Germany | 9–11th Nov 2026
Connecting with the global biotech community – Our CEO, Mary Clark, and Associate Director Zoe Bolt will be attending BIO-Europe 2026, one of the leading international dealmaking events for the life sciences industry.
The team look forward to meeting with companies, investors and potential partners to discuss collaboration opportunities. Get in touch to schedule a get-together.
Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference & Life Sciences Week – London | 15–20th Nov 2026
Plan ahead for Europe’s busiest week in healthcare 🌍
Join the mailing list to receive the official networking event guide, produced by Catalyst Advisors and Optimum Strategic Communications in partnership with Jefferies.
That’s all folks! To stay in the know – subscribe to Optimum’s weekly wrap-up today!
