EU and beer

Closing out a busy week with a preview of today’s US — EU Summit and how biotech is boosting beer production—plus, what you missed at the BIO Investor Forum in San Francisco. (680 words, 3 minutes, 24 seconds)

BIO weighs in on EU policy ahead of US — EU Summit

The meeting: President Biden will welcome European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to the White House for the U.S.-EU Summit, where conversations are expected to cover the Israel-Gaza conflict, Ukraine, and trade.

What BIO’s doing: BIO joined a coalition of trade associations representing sectors across the U.S. economy in a letter to President Biden urging him “to push back against regulatory overreach and protectionist tendencies in Europe that threaten to restrict trade, undermine U.S. competitiveness, and stifle innovation.”

Specifically, BIO’s concerned about:

• Data policy that “tilts the balance unfairly against American businesses,” such as ambiguities in the implementation of the General Data Protection Rule (GDPR);
• The proposed revisions to the EU Pharmaceutical Regulation, which the letter says “will weaken intellectual property protections, disadvantaging pharmaceutical firms in the U.S.”
• Ensuring alignment against the proposed expansion of the COVID-19 IP waiver to include therapeutics and diagnostics. 

The bottom line: “Your administration has diligently addressed European concerns about U.S. market access. We urge you to advocate with equal fervor for U.S. interests, underscoring that policies disadvantaging American businesses are unacceptable,” the letter concludes.

More Health News: 

The Mercury News (Opinion): Superbugs threaten California. Here’s how to fight them.
“We need a stream of new antimicrobial treatments to catch and keep up with resistance. But the market is broken,” says Mike Guerra, President and CEO of California Life Sciences.

Good Day BIO Live at BIF: We hope investors ‘continue to see the value in life sciences’

Janice Bourque, Managing Director at Hercules Capital, explains the outlook for the biotech market and investment—read more at Bio.News.

How biotech is boosting beer in the face of climate change

Hotter, drier climates mean Europe’s hops crops are ripening 20 days earlier than usual. Production has dropped, and the hops have fewer alpha acids—the source of beer’s bitter flavor.

Why it matters: Beer is the world’s third most widely consumed beverage after water and tea, and Europe’s been brewing since about 3500 BC. But with hops production dropping—and further declines of 12-35% projected between 2021-2050—Europe faces a major beer shortage.

Biotech hope for hops: Berkeley Yeast is creating bioengineered yeast, which can produce the same flavor without the hops.

Another biotech solution: gene editing hops to withstand a warmer climate. “Genes can help us to make even more robust plants,” Birgitte Skadhauge, head of brewer Carlsberg’s Research Laboratory, tells The Washington Post.

Tackling the root cause: Besides making crops moreresilient, biotech can help address climate change with innovations like sustainable aviation fuels and biomanufacturing with lower carbon emissions.

President Biden’s Friday: He’s welcoming European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to the White House for the second U.S.-EU Summit since Biden took office.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House meets at 10 am to continue discussion over a Speaker. The Senate is not in session.