Close menu




March 19th, 2020 | 11:25 CET

BioNTech, Gilead, Memphasys - modern science and COVID and IVF

  • Biotechnology
Photo credits: pixabay.com

People around the world are worried about the extent of the consequences associated with the spread of the corona virus COVID-19, and politicians and the economy are called upon to deal with the situation appropriately so that the loss of life and financial damage to the citizens can be kept to a minimum. Medical experts are now working intensively to ensure that active substances for prevention and therapy are tested and made ready for the market.

time to read: 2 minutes | Author: Mario Hose
ISIN: US09075V1026 , US3755581036 , AU000000MEM5

Table of contents:


    Sébastien Plouffe, CEO, Founder and Director, Defence Therapeutics Inc.
    "[...] Defence will continue to develop its Antibody Drug Conjugates "ADC" and its radiopharmaceuticals programs, which are currently two of the hottest products in demand in the pharma industries where significant consolidations and take-overs occurred. [...]" Sébastien Plouffe, CEO, Founder and Director, Defence Therapeutics Inc.

    Full interview

     

    Development of a vaccine

    The German biotech company BioNTech is working with renowned partners in China, Europe and the USA to develop a vaccine for the immunization and prevention of COVID-19 infections. A clinical trial is scheduled to start as early as April 2020. The company is pursuing the goal of making a vaccine available worldwide as quickly as possible. For this reason, BioNTech says it is "in close contact with various regulatory and scientific authorities around the world and is in ongoing discussions with other research institutions."

    Investigational compound for corona viruses

    US company Gilead Science is also working with global health authorities to counteract the outbreak of the new type of COVID-19 by using the investigational compound Remdesivir. Remdesivir has shown activity against MERS and SARS in animal studies, which are also corona viruses and show structural similarities to COVID-19. Since it is an experimental drug that has only been used in a small number of patients with COVID-19, Gilead is still in the early stages of development with Remdesivir.

    Multi-billion growth market IVF

    The Australian company Memphasys focuses on the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) market for humans, which, according to Allied Market Research, currently has a global volume of USD 13.7 billion and is expected to grow to USD 26.4 billion by 2026. Memphasys focuses on the key element of a successful pregnancy for parents who want to have children: the quality of the used sperm. Sperm quality is declining worldwide, with one in three men over the age of 40 having problems with sperm fertility. About half of all infertility cases have poor sperm as an identifying factor.

    Separation of sperm

    Memphasys has developed an innovative device to separate and select sperm more quickly and effectively than current methods. The device called FELIX uses electric fields and membranes to sort the sperm according to quality and size. According to Alison Coutts, CEO of Memphasys, the better sperm has a greater net negative charge compared with faulty specimens.

    Launching in Q3 2020

    The company's next step is to support physicians in less regulated markets so that they can use the device commercially after completion of verification and validation, which is expected in mid 2020. At the same time, the company is working to obtain marketing approval from key regulatory authorities in Australia, the United States and Europe. While approval is a multi-year and costly process, Memphasys plans to sell early in countries with lighter regulation. These initial markets could include Japan, India, New Zealand and Canada.


    Conflict of interest

    Pursuant to §85 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG), we point out that Apaton Finance GmbH as well as partners, authors or employees of Apaton Finance GmbH (hereinafter referred to as "Relevant Persons") may in the future hold shares or other financial instruments of the mentioned companies or will bet on rising or falling on rising or falling prices and therefore a conflict of interest may arise in the future. conflict of interest may arise in the future. The Relevant Persons reserve the shares or other financial instruments of the company at any time (hereinafter referred to as the company at any time (hereinafter referred to as a "Transaction"). "Transaction"). Transactions may under certain circumstances influence the respective price of the shares or other financial instruments of the of the Company.

    Furthermore, Apaton Finance GmbH reserves the right to enter into future relationships with the company or with third parties in relation to reports on the company. with regard to reports on the company, which are published within the scope of the Apaton Finance GmbH as well as in the social media, on partner sites or in e-mails, on partner sites or in e-mails. The above references to existing conflicts of interest apply apply to all types and forms of publication used by Apaton Finance GmbH uses for publications on companies.

    Risk notice

    Apaton Finance GmbH offers editors, agencies and companies the opportunity to publish commentaries, interviews, summaries, news and etc. on news.financial. These contents serve information for readers and does not constitute a call to action or recommendations, neither explicitly nor implicitly. implicitly, they are to be understood as an assurance of possible price be understood. The contents do not replace individual professional investment advice and do not constitute an offer to sell the share(s) offer to sell the share(s) or other financial instrument(s) in question, nor is it an nor an invitation to buy or sell such.

    The content is expressly not a financial analysis, but rather financial analysis, but rather journalistic or advertising texts. Readers or users who make investment decisions or carry out transactions on the basis decisions or transactions on the basis of the information provided here act completely at their own risk. There is no contractual relationship between between Apaton Finance GmbH and its readers or the users of its offers. users of its offers, as our information only refers to the company and not to the company, but not to the investment decision of the reader or user. or user.

    The acquisition of financial instruments entails high risks that can lead to the total loss of the capital invested. The information published by Apaton Finance GmbH and its authors are based on careful research on careful research, nevertheless no liability for financial losses financial losses or a content guarantee for topicality, correctness, adequacy and completeness of the contents offered here. contents offered here. Please also note our Terms of use.


    Der Autor

    Mario Hose

    Born and raised in Hannover, Lower Saxony follows social and economic developments around the globe. As a passionate entrepreneur and columnist he explains and compares the most diverse business models as well as markets for interested stock traders.

    About the author



    Related comments:

    Commented by Fabian Lorenz on March 16th, 2026 | 09:05 CET

    BioNTech a Takeover Target? What's Happening at CHAR Technologies and Steyr Motors?

    • cleantech
    • biochar
    • Biotechnology
    • Automotive

    A cleantech growth story with takeover potential is currently available for only around CAD 35 million. CHAR Technologies is benefiting from rising oil and gas prices thanks to its technology. If the stock fails to move higher, a strategic partner could step in. Is BioNTech a takeover candidate? Until last week, the answer would likely have been a clear no. But since the announcement that the founders are stepping down, almost anything seems possible. And there is another factor in its favor. To avoid being swallowed by a major defense contractor, Steyr Motors aims to grow aggressively - both organically and through acquisitions. Analysts believe the company could double its revenue and recommend buying the stock.

    Read

    Commented by Fabian Lorenz on March 12th, 2026 | 07:25 CET

    Breaking News! Takeover speculation? BioNTech, Evotec, Vidac Pharma

    • Biotechnology
    • Biotech
    • Pharma
    • Takeover

    First, the positive news: Vidac Pharma's drug candidate VDA-1102 was recently used in a compassionate treatment case in connection with a girl's third brain surgery. Following the treatment, the patient's condition improved significantly. In addition, the Vidac platform is now being tested beyond oncology. 2026 could mark a potential breakthrough year for the company and its stock. It was a different story this week for BioNTech, whose shares suffered a sharp setback. The rather mixed results for 2025 and the cautious outlook for the current year likely played only a limited role. More troubling for shareholders is likely the impending departure of the founding couple. This raises the question: Could BioNTech become a takeover target? There were also long faces at Evotec this week. The company's restructuring program has failed to convince the market, and the stock has slipped below an important technical support level.

    Read

    Commented by André Will-Laudien on March 12th, 2026 | 07:05 CET

    Sector rotation favors biotech and life sciences! BASF, MustGrow, Novo Nordisk, and BioNTech in focus

    • biologics
    • Agritech
    • Biotechnology
    • chemicals
    • fertilizer

    Surprises are currently widespread. Former Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir will now lead the state parliament in Baden-Württemberg. The Green Party won over 30% of the vote in a landslide victory, putting issues such as environmental protection, social affairs, and, from Mr. Özdemir's time as minister, the agricultural industry back in the spotlight. With a human-centered approach and a focus on healthy nutrition, this means that established agricultural companies are increasingly being forced to reconcile productivity with sustainability. In this environment, MustGrow Biologics is positioning itself as a strategic technology provider whose achievements have already been validated by leading market players. An expanded sector view also includes the life sciences industry with the protagonists BASF, Novo Nordisk, and BioNTech - an exciting mix.

    Read