$47.5m partnership between the foundation and Broad researchers will mine genetic data for insights into disease mechanisms. MD Anderson, Nuvectis each unveil multiple new tie-ups.

Private Company Edition: Perceptive/Xontogeny, Abingworth, Kizoo and Droia closed venture capital funds. New biopharma VC financings also include a $105m series C round for Elpiscience and $92m for newly launched Interline. 

AlloVir/Baylor, Soligenix/Hawaii and CEL-SCI/Georgia ink coronavirus collaborations, but deal-making continues in other areas as well, including Asklepios/UNC teaming on a gene therapy for Angelman syndrome and DeMelle licensing a targeted pancreatic cancer drug from Moffitt, among others.

Five-year collaboration will analyze data from thousands of cancer patients to optimize immunotherapy treatment and develop PET imaging tracers to stratify clinical trial participants. Also, MD Anderson starts 2019 with three new agreements.