ARCH invests $150m in the Scangos-led Vir Biotechnology; Flagship recruits ex-Novartis executive Epstein; Versant closes a new $400m fund; and $601.1m in 11 other recent VC funding rounds.

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 January 2020.

Financing for biopharma companies increased by 19% in Q4 to $15.8bn. M&A value quadrupled, compared with Q3, thanks to nine billion-dollar-plus transactions, led by the buy-out of Nestle Skin Health, now Galderma.Among the key alliances of Q4 were recurring themes of gene therapy and oncology, but also big investments in oligonucleotide technologies.