Weekly Roundup: Appointments and new perspectives

Hansa Biopharma appointed Adam Cutler as new Chief Financial Officer

Hansa Biopharma AB announced the appointment of Adam Cutler as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and member of the Executive Committee, effective June 22, 2026.  Adam succeeds Evan Ballantyne, who has served as CFO since 2024. Evan will continue in the role until June 22 and remain with the company through July 10, 2026, to support the transition, after which he will retire from Hansa.

Poolbeg Pharma plc – Decision to grant European Patent received for POLB 001 in cancer immunotherapy-induced CRS

Poolbeg Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a core focus on transforming the cancer immunotherapy field, announced that it has received formal notification from the European Patent Office of the decision to grant its patent application for POLB 001 in cancer immunotherapy-induced Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS).

Resolution Therapeutics extended its inflammatory and fibrotic disease pipeline with in vivo Regenerative Macrophage Therapy

Resolution Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering Regenerative Macrophage Therapy (RMT) in inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, announced the execution of Material Transfer Agreements with independent, best-in-class lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology providers. Under the agreements, Resolution will conduct systematic assessments of LNP formulations for the engineering of the myeloid compartment in vivo, with preliminary results expected later this year.

AMSilk appointed Christian Wichert as Chief Executive Officer to lead the next phase of growth

AMSilk GmbH, a global leader in advanced biomaterials made from silk proteins,  announced on Wednesday the appointment of Christian Wichert as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The appointment marks a pivotal moment in AMSilk’s journey, as the Company advances from development through scale-up to commercialisation.

Oncoinvent achieves 50% recruitment milestone in Phase 2 ovarian cancer study of Radspherin®

Oncoinvent, a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company developing Radspherin®, a receptor-independent alpha-emitting therapy to eradicate cancer cells in the abdominal cavity after surgery with a single, targeted dose, announced on Thursday that its ongoing Phase 2 trial of Radspherin® in patients with peritoneal metastases from ovarian cancer has reached the 50% patient recruitment milestone.

BIO-Europe unveiled renewed vision as the must-attend global biopharma strategy forum

BIO-Europe, the must-attend global biopharma partnering event, set out its bold new vision for the 32nd annual conference to be held in Cologne, Germany, from 9-11 November 2026. The vision reflects a broader shift in biopharma as BIO-Europe evolves to become the neutral, credible forum where the full biopharma C-suite shapes not just partnerships but the strategic direction of the worldwide industry.

Kither Biotech successfully completed Phase 1 clinical trial of KIT2014, a novel inhaled peptide therapy for respiratory diseases

Kither Biotech, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for respiratory diseases, announced the successful completion of its Phase 1 clinical study of lead candidate, KIT2014, in healthy participants. KIT2014 is a novel cell-permeable peptide delivered via inhalation, which is designed to address multiple pathological pathways common to a number of major respiratory diseases, including COPD, NCFB and CF.

Novo Nordisk Foundation announced new European initiative to accelerate drug discovery for cardiometabolic diseases

The Novo Nordisk Foundation launched CardioMetabolic Bridge, a new pan‑European initiative, backed by up to DKK 450 million, to accelerate drug discovery and next‑generation therapeutics for conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

🎙️Optimum Perspectives Podcast

Dialysis and transplantation have transformed the lives of people with serious kidney disease. But that does not mean it is “job done”. Individuals who need dialysis have significantly reduced life expectancy, especially if they must remain on it for a long time, while there is a shortage of donor kidneys – and transplantation carries its own problems.

In this latest Optimum Perspectives podcast, three experts who are all developing new treatments for various aspects of kidney disease, share their thoughts. Stephen Adams hosts the episode, which features Renée Aguiar-Lucander, CEO of Hansa Biopharma; Krishna Polu, CEO of R1 Therapeutics; and Thomas Kledal, CEO of Synklino.

Stream the full episode below.

📢 Hot topic

Will in vivo breathe new life into CGT?

Despite stunning clinical successes in treating various blood cancers, CAR-T therapies have arguably failed to live up to lofty commercial expectations. Something similar could be said of the cell and gene therapy field as a whole. Investment has suffered as a result. But are new in vivo approaches, where genetic manipulation takes place in the body rather than the lab, changing the picture for good? Watch our latest Hot Topic to learn more.

👥Industry events

BioBabraham Symposium – Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge | 24^th June 2026

The Optimum team will be attending the upcoming BioBabraham Symposium to hear more about the innovative science emerging from the Babraham Research Campus in Cambridge.

If you’re joining us, don’t miss our CEO, Mary Clark, as she moderates the closing panel discussion ‘Attracting investors in a turbulent market’ where leading investors will explore what it takes to build and execute a successful fundraising strategy in today’s market.

Connect with Mary, Isabelle Abdou and Vareen Outhonesack. onsite at BioBabraham to discuss strategic communications, investor engagement and how Optimum can support your growth journey.

Taking place on June 24th, the Symposium will showcase the science, innovation and collaboration driving the Babraham ecosystem — one of the UK’s most distinctive clusters of early-stage bioscience, where company-building happens alongside cutting-edge academic research.

On Helix – Cambridge | 9^th Jul 2026

This July,  One Nucleus presents ON Helix – Disrupting Bio Innovation.

A one-day conference in Cambridge spotlighting and discussing the breakthrough technologies, policies and business models that are shaping the drug discovery and development landscape. This is 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 use this or connect with the team there!

Optimum’s 18^th Annual Healthcare Investor Conference – London | 8^th Oct 2026

Save the date – Thursday the 8th of October 2026!

The date is set for Optimum’s 18th Annual Healthcare Investor Conference, which returns to the King’s Fund, London this October.

Join us for a day of invaluable insights from the thought leaders of the life sciences industry! The conference is free but invitation only, so please register your interest to attend here: https://www.optimumcomms.com/irconference2026/

Follow us on LinkedIn to hear updates on speakers and panellists, as they are announced.

Plan ahead for Europe’s busiest week in healthcare 🌍

Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference & Life Sciences Week – London | 15–20^th Nov 2026

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!