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.

Rocket's all-stock acquisition of Renovacor is valued at about $53m and adds a preclinical portfolio targeting genetically driven cardiovascular disease.

Amylyx is funding research at the Sunnybrook Research Institute to investigate Bax and Bak inhibition in neurodegenerative disease. Repertoire looks into HPV+ cancer with Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Many industry leaders expect broad progress in the field of RNA technologies following the rapid and successful roll-out of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 last year. Genetic medicines of various types, emerging platforms for tackling previously “undruggable” targets and the microbiome were among other areas singled out as areas to watch in 2022.