Private Company Edition: NVCA and Pitchbook data show pharma and biotech companies raised $37.8bn in venture capital in 2021, up 41% from the record $26.8bn total in 2020. Recent mega-rounds include $190m for Maze and $200m for Alumis, and Sound Bioventures raised a €110m fund.

Eikon launched in 2021 with $148m in series A venture capital and former Merck R&D head Roger Perlmutter as its CEO, but even with half a billion dollars in fresh cash, the firm has not revealed its therapeutic focus.

Private Company Edition: Arbor is developing drugs based on proprietary gene editors, Acrivon is applying proteomics to precision cancer therapies, and bit.bio is producing differentiated cell products. Also, Marengo launches with $80m, Sanofi invests up to $60m in Gyroscope and Shasqi raises $50m.

Renaissance Capital expects an initial public offering surge in September; Biomedtracker data show financings for COVID-19 programs fell from Q1 to Q2; Revelation will merge with a special purpose acquisition corporation; Ascendis netted $379.3m in a follow-on offering; and Disc Medicine raised $90m in venture capital.