China's JW Therapeutics nets $90m for cancer cell therapy, including backing from biotechs Celgene and WuXi. Meanwhile, Foghorn sounds out a $50m A round for its gene trafficking technology applications.

Venture Capital Edition: A VC investor at a recent conference said it's "hogwash" that venture capitalists aren't interested in funding early-stage biopharma, but the trend toward large financings – such as the $220m raised to date by Rubius – and 2017 investment data suggest otherwise.

But Q4 was the third sequential quarter with a decrease in financing totals. A review of biopharma start-up dealmaking and financing activity from October through December 2017, based on data from Strategic Transactions.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Dealmaking column is a survey of recent health care transactions listed by relevant industry segment – In Vitro Diagnostics, Medical Devices, and Pharmaceuticals – and then categorized by type – Acquisition, Alliance, or Financing. This month’s column covers deals announced in October 2017.