💊 BioNTech dives deeper into digital; Genome sequencing for the flu is here; A recession looms

#252 | A special mental health Kibble

Hello, and welcome back to The Kable. It is still only Wednesday but it already seems like an interminable week, thanks to the frenzy of investments and acquisitions in biopharma. Continuing the trend is BioNTech, by acquiring its AI partner InstaDeep in a £362 million deal to become a "technology company".

Not one to be left behind is Abbvie who's struck a potential $580 million pact with Anima Biotech to partner on three mRNA modulators for oncology and immunology.

For the better part of last year, at The Kable, we've been tracking bird flu and what we believe is a more potent strain of it going around the world. Instead of being a seasonal infection, it is now a mostly perennial disease, affecting wild and captive birds alike. Even more worrying is the potential for transmission to humans, as evidenced by Ecuador's first case of human bird flu infection. The OK Doomer newsletter has an excellent think piece on why eggs and poultry are not the only potential losses to the planet.

The director of the WHO's Europe office says there is no immediate threat to Europe from the Covid situation in China. Because of the information received from China. Surprising statement considering just the other day, the WHO was saying there is no information coming from China.

And finally, Marion Biotech, the Indian company in the eye of a storm over child deaths in Uzbekistan, has had its production license suspended by local authorities in India over insufficient information.

Also, in today’s long read, Ria Purandare looks back at the year that was and what lies ahead for South Asia.