Weekly roundup: Deals, discoveries, and market optimism
Leucid Bio and Syenex announce strategic collaboration for in vivo CAR-T cell engineering
Leucid Bio, a privately-held biotechnology company developing innovative Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies using its proprietary lateral CAR platform, and Syenex, an open-science genetic medicines platform company, announced a strategic collaboration to access Syenex’s VivoCell Platform for the precise in vivo delivery of Leucid’s CAR-T assets including LEU011 for the treatment of solid tumours.
numares Health enters ASEAN region with regulatory approval in Malaysia and first contract win for its AXINON ® LDLp Test System
numares Health, the transformative metabolomics company pioneering multidimensional biomarker insights that deliver clinical pathways for optimal patient care, announced the expansion of its global footprint into the ASEAN region having received regulatory approval in Malaysia. The Company concurrently secured its first contract for the AXINON® LDLp Test System (“AXINON”) with BioD Medica, which specialises in introducing medical devices and healthcare technology into Malaysia and Singapore.
📺Optimum TV
It was a two-episode week here on Optimum TV!
It’s been a difficult 24 months or so in the life science investment world, Clara Campàs of Barcelona-based Asabys Partners told Optimum TV. But 2026 is poised to be a better year, she said, with positive signs in the M&A market, in terms of licensing and partnering deals, and even with IPOs. Watch episode 3 of our ‘Dealmakers 2026’ series with Clara, below ⬇️
In episode 4 of ‘Dealmakers 2026’ series, we were delighted to host Hugo Harrod, Partner at MVM Partners, for a timely conversation on the 2026 investment landscape for medtech. Hugo shared an optimistic outlook, noting that “it’s a good time for companies that are fundraising,” expressing confidence in the medtech IPO market, and revealed that MVM has $500m to deploy with six deals completed so far… Find out more from Hugo below ⬇️
🔥Hot topic
Getting US approvals for individualised medicines for ultra-rare diseases could be made easier thanks to a plan for what the FDA is calling a “plausible mechanism” pathway. While the idea is at a fairly early stage, experts think when it happens it will be a boon for developers of cell and gene therapies in particular. Read our latest Hot Topic here ⬇️
📅 Optimum’s Year in Review
In 2025, we advised our incredible clients on announcements that made maximum impact. Despite market turbulence and uncertainty, we forged partnerships built to last – resilient, strategic, and focused on driving progress. Thank you to all of our clients for your innovation and your continued commitment to improving patients’ lives. Here’s to an even stronger 2026!
Save the date!
Optimum’s 18th Annual Healthcare Investor Conference will take place on Thursday, 9 October 2026 @ The King’s Fund, London. Stay tuned – more details will be available on our website soon.
🧩Sector moves
Keep up to date with the latest industry moves here.
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