Weekly roundup: Insights, innovation and impact – That’s a wrap on Optimum’s 2025 Conference
👥 Optimum’s 17th Annual Healthcare Conference — Post-Event Highlights
That’s a wrap on #OptimumConference 2025 — and what an exceptional day it was. Held in the heart of London, Optimum’s 17th Annual Healthcare Investor Conference brought together a powerhouse of industry leaders, investors, innovators, and communicators to exchange ideas, explore market outlooks, and tackle the pressing questions facing the life sciences sector.
Explore our 🔗 photo gallery to find yourself in photos from the day, which you are free to post on social media – make sure to tag us! If you encounter any issues downloading, it may be due to your company’s firewall settings. In that instance – we recommend trying a different, or personal, device!
We were proud to host two outstanding fireside chats:
- Antoine Papiernik (Sofinnova Partners) sat down with Hannah Kuchler (Financial Times) for a candid look at biotech boardrooms, billion-dollar exits, and the leadership lessons learned along the way.
- Later in the day, Dr Daniel Mahony (Novo Holdings) and Dr Ruth McKernan C.B.E. (SV Health Investors) shared their combined decades of experience — from decoding brain chemistry to navigating government funding — and discussed what truly captures the attention of top-tier investors.
Session highlights included:
- Everything you wanted to know about how to have the best exit to pharma (but were too afraid to ask)
Real-world advice from those that have done it, on how to position your company for successful exits. - Who’s listening? Tailoring the narrative for maximum punch
How storytelling and strategic communication are just as crucial as data when it comes to winning over investors. - Thriving in the tough times: scaling smart and staying strong
Practical strategies for future-proofing your business in a bear market. - Fever dream or new reality? Taking the temperature of the market and looking ahead to 2026
Senior voices from across the market offered their insights on what lies ahead.
We were also proud to spotlight Brain Tumour Research as our featured charity – If you would like to show your support for Brain Tumour Research, please donate here
Thank you to our generous sponsors — Citi, Nasdaq, Cooley, ICG, and Babraham Research Campus — for their support.
Lastly, to our guests, thank you again for being part of the day. Stay tuned for post-conference content and future event updates on our website and social channels. We look forward to seeing you at Optimum’s 18th Annual Healthcare Investor Conference in 2026
SAVE THE DATE – 8th October 2026
Hansa Biopharma carried out a directed share issue of 17 million shares, raising proceeds of approximately USD 71 million, and announced ESGCT 2025 data from Genethon’s GNT-018-IDES trial supporting feasibility of imlifidase as pretreatment in gene therapy treatment for patients with Crigler–Najjar syndrome who are immune to AAV.
Neuraxpharm Group, a leading European specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, announced the launch of Riulvy® (tegomil fumarate) in Germany, the product’s first introduction into the European market.
Glen Clova Scientific (GCS), a biotechnology company developing breakthrough therapeutics for the treatment of immuno-dermatological conditions, announced the establishment of its Clinical Advisory Board (CAB). Chaired by Professor Alan Irvine (Trinity College Dublin), the CAB will support GCS’s leadership and R&D team in guiding the development strategy for its next generation of active biologics, including the Company’s lead asset GCS001.
Resolution Therapeutics Ltd, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering Regenerative Macrophage Therapy (RMT) in inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, announced the presentation of the study design for its EMERALD Phase I/II clinical trial at the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL) annual meeting, and upcoming presentations at the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) The Liver Meeting.
Heidelberg Pharma AG published its financial report on the first six months of 2025 (1 December 2024 – 31 May 2025) and reported about the positive course of business.
📺 Optimum TV
Biotech companies frequently strike royalty agreements with pharma, under which they receive a steady stream of payments once a new drug is on the market. But that means waiting for cash — which could be used to expand the business if it was available sooner. So, what if you could sell the rights to your royalties and get a lump sum upfront?
In this 50th episode of #OptimumTV, Clarke Futch of HealthCare Royalty Partners (HCRx) explains how these financial arrangements work and why demand for them is growing fast.
Watch here.
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!
