Private Company Edition: Former Juno execs launch allogeneic cell therapy venture Sana, Atlas raises a $250m fund, and the Rakuten Aspyrian, Apollomics and Antengene VC deals exceed the $100m mark.

Private investors, including Japanese e-commerce mogul Hiroshi Mikitani, backed a $150m Series C round for Rakuten Aspyrian and its photoimmunotherapy platform. Also, pharma-backed therapeutic video game developer Akili boosts Series C to $68m, and Summit garners additional BARDA funding.

Private Company Edition: Flagship ends 2017 with its biggest life science fund yet totaling $618m. Also, December sees a year-end surge in VC deals, including a $100m Series B round for Allakos.

Perkin-Elmer built the machines that enabled the boom in genomics research--automated DNA sequencers. Genomics companies have done well, but Perkin-Elmer hasn't. The company is prepared to spend up to $1 billion over the next several years on external collaborations and acquisitions in an effort to climb the value chain and capture high-value applications of its tools for itself.