Public Company Edition: Direct Biologics, YishengBio and Estrella Biopharma will go public by merging with special purpose acquisition corporations. Also, Vir lands a government contract worth up to $1bn, Idorsia raises CHF164m ($167.4m) in a real estate deal and Adamis reviews alternatives.

Roivant and Pfizer launched Priovant to develop the oral drug brepocitinib for dermatomyositis, lupus and other autoimmune diseases, but Roivant also cut programs to extend its cash runway.

The company has ramped up a broad R&D program for the FcRn inhibitor in 11 autoantibody-driven disease areas.

Public Company Edition: This year is just six initial public offerings away from matching 2020’s record-breaking total of 86 biopharma IPOs in the US. Also, Idorsia raised $662.5m through the sale of convertible bonds and Cytokinetics closed a $316.3m follow-on offering.