California biotech also notes prior licensing deal with Gilead for mitochondrial candidate. Twentyeight-Seven acquires RNA-splicing cancer candidate from Basilea.

Already owner of about 60% of the troubled antibiotic firm, Innoviva agrees to pay $2.20 per share for all outstanding stock in Entasis. Roche, KaliVir partner on oncolytic virus therapies.

Akebia brings in Cyclerion’s diabetes candidate praliciguat, plus deals involving Genmab/Bolt, Auris/Trasir, Zymergen/Lodo, Bavarian Nordic/Dynavax and more.

Competition to GlaxoSmithKline’s Benlysta in the systemic lupus erythematosus space finally looks imminent with approval decisions on AstraZeneca's anifrolumab pending. The company has presented more data at EULAR to make its case for the first-in-class type I interferon inhibitor.