AB2 Bio, a Swiss Health Valley and EPFL based company, has announced that Nippon Shinyaku has exercised its exclusive option to commercialize Tadekinig alfa in the United States, following positive exchanges with the FDA. Under the agreement, AB2 Bio will receive an upfront payment of $30 million and is eligible for up to $600 million in development and commercial milestones, plus royalties on future sales.

For CEO Djordje Filipovic, the number that matters most is far smaller: the infants and children living with primary IL-18-driven monogenic hyperinflammatory syndrome who currently have no FDA-approved treatment option. These patients carry NLRC4 or XIAP mutations that trigger severe systemic hyperinflammation driven by IL-18 — a condition that can rapidly progress to multi-organ dysfunction, irreversible organ damage, and, in the most severe cases, death. “Their families are waiting for a therapy that treats the underlying mechanism, not just the symptoms,” Filipovic said.

Nippon Shinyaku’s decision to exercise its option reflects shared confidence in both the medical and commercial potential of Tadekinig alfa, built on solid clinical data from a completed pivotal Phase 3 programme in the lead indication, which holds an FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation. AB2 Bio will continue to lead BLA preparation and regulatory activities in the US, now alongside a partner with deep experience commercializing rare disease therapies.

“Together, we are well positioned to accelerate bringing this potential therapy to young American patients suffering from this rare and devastating disease, and to potentially deliver a meaningful improvement in treatment,” Filipovic said. “We at AB2 Bio look forward to this collaboration. My sincere thanks to the AB2 Bio and Nippon Shinyaku teams, our researchers and clinical sites, and above all to the patients and families who took part in this programme.

Source: Press Release | ©AB2 Bio

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HeroSupport SA is a UNIGE and HUG spin out and created VENUS SHELL , a 3D-printed support that enables accurate, reproducible, and more comfortable positioning during radiation therapy for breast cancer patients.

HeroSupport SA is advancing patient immobilisation in prone breast cancer radiotherapy. The CE-marked VENUS SHELL is a patient-specific, 3D-printed support that enables accurate, reproducible, and more comfortable positioning during radiation therapy. This allows radiation to be delivered precisely to the target while sparing healthy tissue. 

The key differentiator is an integrated workflow combining an imaging table, transparent shaping elements, surface scanning, proprietary software, and 3D printing. By capturing the patient’s anatomy in its true treatment position, HeroSupport SA generatse a highly accurate personalised immobilisation device

The NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York (USA) is the first clinical site to participate in the SHIELD clinical study, with Prof. Naamit Gerber as Principal Investigator. 

Dr. Gerber is a professor and vice chair of education in the Department of Radiation Oncology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, as well as the co-director of the breast cancer and hematologic malignancies disease management groups at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center. “We are honoured to support this important clinical initiative and to contribute to advancing breast cancer care through innovation.”

The SHIELD clinical study is evaluating an innovative approach to Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) using the personalized prone breast immobilization device, VENUS SHELL, developed by HeroSupport, a Geneva based medtech company, and designed to improve the precision of local radiation delivery while enhancing patient comfort.  

Source: Press Release | ©HeroSupport

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Apply for the Gate Challenge for Healthy Aging. The Programme starts on 1st September 2026!

Are you a medtech, biotech, foodtech or climate related company looking to expand in China ? The Gate Challenge is bridging Swiss & Chinese Innovation for Healthy Aging. Selected startups will have their on-site costs fully covered and can tailor their participation, whether for the full programme or just the weeks most relevant to them.

Programme runs from 1 to 25 September | Apply Here

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MoleSense and Impli, two startups based at Biopôle near Lausanne, have both been selected by Germany’s Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation (SPRIND) for its Continuous Hormone Monitoring Challenge — a three-year programme backing biosensor technologies capable of tracking at least four hormones continuously over seven days, with up to €1.5 million in Stage 1 funding per team.

The challenge addresses a long-standing blind spot in women’s health: hormone levels are still measured as single, static snapshots, even though they fluctuate constantly across the day, the cycle, and in response to stress, sleep and nutrition. That gap has left conditions like endometriosis, PCOS and hormone-driven cardiovascular disease chronically under-diagnosed. SPRIND’s challenge asks teams to build sensors that make those dynamics visible for the first time, directly in a biological matrix such as interstitial fluid, sweat or saliva.

Both selected companies are familiar faces in the Swiss Health Valley: they were among the winners at BIND – BioInnovation Day 2026, hosted by BioAlps at CHUV, where Impli AG received the H4 Award and MoleSense received the CSEM Award.

MoleSense, an EPFL spin-off, is developing a “Wear & Forget” platform that combines ultra-low-power, on-demand sweat extraction with aptamer-based multi-hormone nanobiosensing — a needle-free, non-invasive approach.

Impli, with roots in Imperial College London and a base in Lausanne, is developing a minimally invasive, needle-based device that tracks a panel of reproductive and metabolic hormones simultaneously over several days — replacing the single-timepoint readings of a standard blood draw with a continuous hormonal profile. The company recently gained visibility through a partnership with Bayer following an earlier innovation challenge win.

Their selection places two Swiss Health Valley companies at the center of a €40 million European effort to build the reference infrastructure for continuous hormone monitoring — reinforcing the region’s growing footprint in women’s health innovation.

Sources:

• MoleSense and Impli selected for SPRIND Challenge on Continuous Hormone Monitoring
• SPRIND | Continuous Hormone Monitoring
• BIND 2026 Crowns Four Life Sciences Winners – BioAlps

©SPRIND Challenge. Molesense: Dr. Gian Luca Barbruni and Dr. Ata Golparvar. Impli: Anna Luisa Schaffgotsch (CEO and Founder, Dr Aristea Grammoustianou, Dr Chris Johnson.

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Planimetrics, formerly Laxiped, is a life-sciences project, spun out University of Geneva (UNIGE) and Assal Center, working on a solution to support foot and ankle surgeons diagnostics and decicion-making.

First ray instability is a foot condition still diagnosed mainly through physical examination — a gap Planimetrics is working to close. The company has been awarded CHF 40,000 in Stage 2 funding from Venture Kick to advance its diagnostic technology, which measures joint movement and pressure in real time, generating objective scores and clinical reports to support surgical decision-making.

The turning point for the team, led by CEO Quentin Praz, CSO Mathieu Assal and CTO Spyridon Schoinas, came early. “We expected questions about accuracy, but surgeons instead focused on something else: having objective evidence to justify why they recommend surgery,” says Praz. That feedback reframed the company’s ambitions — from building a measurement device to building a decision-support tool that helps surgeons document and defend their clinical choices.

By the time Planimetrics entered Venture Kick, it already had a working prototype, two Innosuisse research grants, and encouraging clinical feedback from Europe and the U.S. The main challenge was sharpening its regulatory and commercialization strategy. Stage 2 funding will now three concrete steps to validate the U.S. strategy: a meeting with the FDA to confirm the regulatory pathway, reimbursement verification with experts and insurers, and structured feedback from more than 20 U.S. surgeons — work the team says will help ensure the solution fits real clinical practice and can be successfully adopted.

Source: Venture Kick | ©Planimetrics

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From clinical innovation to fundamental science, each of these Swiss Health Valley entrepreneurs and researchers were recognised at the highest level their respective field : ORL, AI-Driven Mental Health therapy and and Medicinal Chemistry.

Dr. Julien Wen Hsieh wins the Grand Prix 2026 of the Swiss Society of ORL

Dr. Julien Wen Hsieh, CEO and Founder of Unboound, has been awarded the Grand Prix 2026 of the Swiss Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. The prize recognises his outstanding scientific contributions to otorhinolaryngology throughout his career, including the development of SMELL-RS, the technology at the heart of Unboound. The award underscores the scientific foundation on which the company’s innovation is built — a reminder that behind every promising medtech venture is often years of clinical and academic groundwork.

DIVERSSITY wins the AI for Good Innovation Factory: Women Entrepreneurs 2026

At the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 in Geneva, DIVERSSITY — a Swiss health-tech company led by Co-Founder and CEO Anne-Laure Héritier — won the Innovation Factory: Women Entrepreneurs Shaping the Future award, a thematic session of the UN’s AI for Good Innovation Factory organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

DIVERSSITY addresses one of the most under-resourced areas of care: mental health support for neurodiverse adolescents, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder or ADHD. Its platform combines mixed-reality environments with a specialised eye-tracking system inside structured therapeutic activities that simulate social scenarios. As a young person moves through these activities, the system captures real-world behavioural and biological signals, which an AI layer translates into objective profiles — helping clinicians understand each adolescent’s needs and adapt therapy in real time.

The model runs on two products: My Magic Room, a mixed-reality software layer licensed to institutions and currently in MVP release, and My Reveal In, a SaaS offering for clinics and hospitals that adds AI biometric profiling and clinical decision-support. Together, they turn each therapy session into both an intervention and a source of measurable outcomes data — precisely the kind of evidence base that adolescent mental health care has long lacked.

Professor Nicolas Winssinger receives the Klaus Grohe Prize 2026

Professor Nicolas Winssinger, of the Department of Organic Chemistry at the University of Geneva’s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has been named co-recipient of the Klaus Grohe Prize 2026 — one of Europe’s most prestigious distinctions in medicinal chemistry, awarded by the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh).

The prize honours his pioneering work at the interface of organic chemistry, chemical biology and therapeutic research. Winssinger’s research repurposes nucleic acids — the molecules that normally carry genetic information — as programmable elements capable of controlling chemical reactions and assembling complex molecules. The approach enables molecular circuits that behave like sensors, recognising specific biological signals before triggering a targeted therapeutic response, such as releasing an active pharmaceutical ingredient exactly where and when it’s needed.

His work has already produced smart medicines that selectively target tumour cells, next-generation synthetic antibodies, and on-demand reversible anticoagulants. The award will be presented on 6 September 2026 at the EFMC Medicinal Chemistry conference in Basel.

A cluster that spans the full innovation chain

Clinical recognition, entrepreneurial award, and a top European science prize — three different kinds of achievement, all rooted in the same regional ecosystem. It’s a good illustration of what the Swiss Health Valley brings together: research excellence, founder-led innovation, and clinical practice, each reinforcing the others.

Sources : AI for Good, Unige School of Chemistry, Unboond | ©AI for Good, Unige School of Chemistry, Unboond

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Masimo, which has been headquartered in Neuchâtel since 2008 and employs over 100 staff there at the heart of the Swiss Health Valley, has just won one of the most closely watched legal cases in the technology industry. The US courts have definitively dismissed Apple’s appeal, confirming that the Californian firm must pay $634 million to the medical technology company for patent infringement.

The dispute dates back to 2020. Masimo accused Apple of incorporating its pulse oximetry technology – used to measure blood oxygen levels – into the Apple Watch. Federal Judge James V. Selna upheld a broad interpretation of the term ‘patient monitor’, ruling that it applied equally to hospital equipment and consumer-grade connected devices. Apple, which had argued for a more restrictive definition limited to clinical equipment, has thus seen its case definitively dismissed.

To continue selling its watches in the United States despite the ITC’s ruling, Apple had to act swiftly: disabling the oximeter function via a software update from 2024, followed by a technical overhaul in 2025 that would shift sensor data processing to the iPhone. However, this workaround was not sufficient to overturn the financial penalty.

Founded in 1989 and with over 6,000 employees worldwide Masimo develops non-invasive patient monitoring technologies, an area of expertise recognised for over three decades. Its Neuchâtel site, with about 100 employees, remains a cornerstone of its European operations. More than 200 million patients worldwide are monitored using Masimo SET® pulse oximetry every year.

It should be noted that the company has since changed hands: Masimo was acquired by the US giant Danaher in June 2026 for nearly $9.9 billion. The $634 million secured from Apple thus strengthens the financial prospects of its new parent company.

Source : Masimo, Danaher and Press |

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Two of Switzerland’s biggest names in industry unveiled their half-year results on Thursday, and the stock market did not respond well. Givaudan and Nestlé, both based in the Lake Geneva region, saw their share prices fall sharply at the opening bell, driven by disappointing figures despite some encouraging signs.

At Givaudan, the flavour and fragrance giant, demand has waned slightly over the first six months of the year: revenue fell slightly (minus 1,7%), weighed down by the Taste & Wellness division, whilst the fragrance and beauty divisions fared well. Profitability also declined, and net profit fell significantly. There is some good news, however: the second quarter showed an improvement, with sales picking up again, suggesting that the worst may be behind us.

As for Nestlé, the fall in turnover is mainly due to a strong Swiss franc, which weighs heavily on the food and drink group’s accounts when its revenue (minus 2,5%) is converted from foreign currencies. Once this currency effect is factored out, sales are indeed rising, driven by both higher volumes and price increases. Chief Executive Philipp Navratil is keen to reassure, citing an accelerating growth momentum, particularly in emerging markets, and confirming the targets for the year.

Another key development for Nestlé: the group is partnering with the Platinum Equity fund to create Peranel, a new joint venture dedicated to premium waters and beverages. It will bring together well-known brands such as S.Pellegrino, Perrier and Acqua Panna under one roof, with the aim of better responding to a rapidly evolving market. The deal, which values this business at nearly €4.9 billion, is expected to be finalised by mid-2027.

Source: Givaudan, Nestlé, SMI | ©Canva Media Library

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The LifeSpan Summit is taking place from 14 to 16 October 2026 in Malaga, Spain

The LifeSpan Summit is the premier customer-driven, business-led global gathering dedicated to transforming longevity innovation into real-world impact.

Designed as an active environment for learning, exchange, and co-creation, the Summit brings together cross-sector leaders to explore the tools, business models, and technological breakthroughs shaping the future of ageing and long, meaningful lives.

Grounded in the belief that longevity is both a human imperative and a strategic economic opportunity, LifeSpan 2026 advances the mission of the Global Initiative on Ageing and Longevity (GIA Longevity)—turning thought leadership into market-ready strategies and solutions.

By convening leaders from business, consumer industries, health, technology, finance, and education, alongside policymakers and civil society, the event will create a global platform for longevity innovation—an environment where theory meets application and ideas become actionable solutions.

14 – 16 October 2026 | Malaga, Spain | More Information

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Hilo has launched Hilo Core, a wearable system designed to give people long-term blood pressure insights instead of one-off cuff readings. The company, based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, is bringing the device to the US market starting today, available via Hilo.com and Amazon.

Hilo Core pairs a lightweight wrist band with a mobile app and an FDA-cleared connected cuff. Using optical sensor technology and photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals at the wrist, it takes 30-35 readings a day, including overnight, and cross-references them with sleep, steps, and heart rate. Periodic cuff readings calibrate and validate the wearable’s estimates, so the system delivers trend data over time rather than a single snapshot. Hilo says the underlying technology has been validated in eight clinical studies and used by more than 200,000 people globally.

The US launch comes on the heels of a $19 million extension to Hilo’s Series B, led by Dell Family Office, bringing total funding to over $119 million. The Swiss Health Valley company had already raised $42 million in its original Series B round last year.

Stefan Petzinger, CEO of Hilo by Aktiia, said:

“Hilo represents a fundamental shift in how we approach blood pressure, especially in the U.S., where nearly half of adults live with hypertension and many remain undiagnosed or undertreated. For too long, blood pressure has been measured in isolated moments, leaving critical gaps in understanding. By moving to long-term, real-world insights, we’re empowering people and their care teams to take earlier, more informed action and fundamentally change how cardiovascular health is managed. And not only does Hilo provide a more comprehensive view it also puts less daily dependency on the inflatable cuff, a technology developed in 1881 that is not exactly most convenient and comfortable in day-to-day life. ”

Source: Press Release | © Hilo

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