Merlin's shopping spree

Merlin Biosciences is wasting no time in rounding out the portfolio for its EUR 247 million ($212.4 million) fund, which closed in September. Merlin announced three new investments last week, bringing the number of companies in its portfolio to eight, with two more expected by December, according to Managing Director Mark Clement.

The new investments include two cancer companies - Germany's Wilex and Britain's Onyvax - and Noxxon, which is developing therapeutics on a nucleic acid platform. ...