AI-driven pharmatech firm agrees $70m partnership with Gates foundation September 8, 2021 AI-driven drug company Exscientia has agreed a $70m partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop virus treatments. The Oxford-based company and non-profit foundation will work on coronaviruses at first before expanding to develop therapeutics for influenza and Nipah virus. The partnership will develop small molecule therapeutics that are less susceptible to variants. [...]
Barbican Centre: Architects invited to enter £150m transformation contest September 8, 2021 The Barbican Centre has launched a contest for a £150m transformation as part of Canada’s plan to turn it into a cultural destination. Architects from around the world have been asked to submit proposals to transform the brutalist arts centre. It comes after Canada Corporation killed off plans for [...]
WHO boss: Wealthy nations should pause booster Covid jab rollout until 2022 September 8, 2021 The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on wealthy cations with plentiful Covid jab supplies to delay booster shots until the end of the year. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hit back at claims vaccine supplies were high enough to allow for both booster jabs and vaccinations in countries facing shortages. “I [...]
Gordon’s wine bar: ‘Insane paperwork’ putting pressure on supplies September 8, 2021 London wine venues are experiencing shortages of some wines thanks to red tape and driver shortages. The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has warned some of the country’s favourite wines could be unavailable in the run up to Christmas. Bars and restaurants have struggled to keep menu items available because of shortages of packaging products [...]
Watchdog clears £2.9bn Viagogo and StubHub merger September 8, 2021 A $4bn (£2.9bn) merger of ticket resale websites Viagogo and StubHub has been approved by a UK watchdog. Viagogo was given the green light to acquire StubHub after US investment group Digital Fuel Capital agreed to buy part of the business. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had instructed Viagogo to sell StubHub’s operations to [...]
B&M shares soar after profit outlook upped September 8, 2021 Discount retailer B&M Bargains said it expects profits to be higher than anticipated after strong sales of seasonal goods. In a trading update on Wednesday morning, the group said gross margins had been stronger than originally predicted for the half year ending September 25 2021. The retailer now expects adjusted EBITDA to be in the [...]
London calling: Landlords raring to return to 2019 rents as tenants battle for places September 8, 2021 Londoners looking for a new place to rent are struggling against a competitive market as the number of available properties has dropped by 58 per cent. While there are less properties available on the market for renters compared to August 2020, there has been a 55 per cent boost in the number of tenants searching, [...]
John Lewis launches cut-price fashion range September 7, 2021 Retailer John Lewis has announced it will launch a budget fashion range under its Anyday brand, as UK shoppers continued to be lured to fast-fashion online retailers. The company is expanding its line of affordable homeware and technology products to include menswear, womenswear and children’s fashion next week. Around 700 new clothing products – some [...]
Bank of England denies it’s U-turned on return to work policy September 7, 2021 The Bank England today said it has not abandoned plans to bring staff back to the office. Threadneedle Street came under fire after reports surfaced that staff had been told they could continue working from home for the time being. However, the Bank of England said today it had not U-turned on its return to [...]
DHG warns it will struggle to supply hospitals if driver shortages continue September 7, 2021 A supplier of hospital beds has warned patients will suffer should delivery issues continue into this winter. Healthcare manufacturing giant DHG has said the current issues with driver shortages pose a threat to healthcare services, particularly as colder months approach. The company will struggle to maintain a continuous supply of medical devices to NHS sites should [...]
