Biotech gets $190m up front in partnership that will discover small molecule RNA-targeted therapies against a range of targets selected by Roche. Arrakis thinks its technology can drug difficult-to-reach targets.

Deal Snapshot: Six companies seek to collect convalescent plasma from COVID-19 survivors to quickly develop hyperimmune immunoglobulin therapy for serious complications of the virus.

Gilead lands on Second Genome as its first partner to apply microbiome analysis to pipeline assets to look for biomarkers. Companies also team up on GI drug discovery.

A busy stretch of deal-making across Asia all includes transactions involving Innovent, Alector, Ono, Numab, Alphamab, 3DMed, Healios, Athersys, Laekna, Novartis, Asahi Kasei, SBI Biotech, Glenmark, Hindustan Unilever, Hanlim, Alteogen, Ildong, Evotec, AJU Pharm, Ribomec, Tyligand, Context

The companies are combining their technologies to seek neutralizing antibody therapeutics that could prevent or treat COVID-19, building on their previous partnership in monitoring minimal residual disease in blood cancers.

Akero’s FGF21 analog yields 63%-72% relative hepatic fat reduction in Phase IIa study; the company awaits biopsy data hoping to see a fibrotic benefit. Also, Genfit says COVID-19 pandemic should not significantly delay its Phase III NASH readout.