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:


    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 Armin Schulz on June 12th, 2026 | 06:40 CEST

    The Biotech and Life Sciences Boom: Evotec, BioNxt Solutions, and Merck – Which Is Worth Investing In?

    • Biotechnology
    • Biotech
    • Pharma
    • LifeSciences

    The life sciences and pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a structural transformation. Value creation is no longer driven by individual blockbuster drugs, but rather by platform technologies, patent portfolios, and strategic deals. This new capital market logic rewards companies with protectable intellectual property and smart licensing agreements—not just pure pipeline developers. For private investors, this creates high-yield niches with reduced regulatory risks. The key question remains: who controls the levers in the innovation ecosystem? Those who recognize this structure early can benefit disproportionately. Today we focus on Evotec, BioNxt Solutions, and Merck.

    Read

    Commented by Tarik Dede on June 11th, 2026 | 07:05 CEST

    Wave of Biotech Acquisitions: Eli Lilly, Vidac Pharma, and GSK in the Spotlight

    • Pharma
    • Biotech
    • Biotechnology
    • Cancer

    Cancer remains one of humanity's greatest scourges, and at the same time, it is by far the largest healthcare market of all. But the old-school pharmaceutical giants are running out of oncology pipeline candidates, and now smaller, far more innovative players are increasingly being acquired. The M&A market is currently experiencing extremely dynamic times. This week, for example, GSK announced the acquisition of Nuvalent for USD 10.6 billion in cash. Gilead Sciences, in turn, struck a deal in April with the German company Tubulis—for a total of USD 5 billion. Shortly thereafter, Eli Lilly offered up to USD 7 billion for Kelonia Therapeutics, just to name a few of this year's deals. That is why we are taking a look at the opportunities in the sector today and putting the stocks of Eli Lilly, Vidac Pharma, and GSK under the microscope!

    Read

    Commented by Armin Schulz on June 11th, 2026 | 06:45 CEST

    With Novo Nordisk, MustGrow Biologics, and Bayer: Positioning for Two Megatrends of the Decade

    • biologicals
    • mustard
    • agritech
    • Biotechnology
    • Biotech

    Created and published on behalf of MustGrow Biologics Corp.

    Two seemingly opposing crises—obesity and food scarcity—are creating major investment opportunities this year. While the obesity epidemic is placing increasing strain on healthcare systems, climate shocks and geopolitical conflicts are threatening global agricultural yields. The biotech sector is addressing both challenges through biological compounds for weight management and crop protection. Demand for effective obesity treatments and sustainable agricultural solutions is rising rapidly. Investors who position themselves early in the beneficiaries of this dual transformation may benefit from above-average returns. This is precisely where the three companies we are taking a closer look at today are positioned: Novo Nordisk, MustGrow Biologics, and Bayer.

    Read