Vertex and CRISPR look beyond beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease. Also, Bicycle gets $50m up front in Novartis deal, Regeneron commits $75m initially under a Treg collaboration with Sonoma, and Jounce gets a better deal from Concentra to wave off Redx merger.

Biotech stock indices have seen a recent recovery but remain well below their 2021 peaks raising questions about the likelihood of raising money for R&D. The number of companies announcing leadership changes, shifting pipeline priorities and job cuts is rising as a result.

EcoR1 and Casdin/Corvex took their second and third special purpose acquisition corporations public. Also, Ionis sold notes to buy back older notes and fund operations as it cut 70% of Akcea’s staff. In venture capital, ValenzaBio raised $70m and RA boosted Metagenomi’s series A to $75m.

Pfizer, Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead’s Kite, Lilly’s Dermira, Janssen and Biogen among the major companies announcing transactions this week.