Shionogi’s novel single-dose flu drug shows promise in first Phase III results in post-exposure prevention, paving the way for a Japanese filing in this setting and potentially expanding already healthy sales.

Founded five years ago, Shanghai-based Ark Bio sees big potential in the less crowded pediatric antiviral treatment market. Now the start-up is in Phase II development for its lead asset ziresovir for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, which was licensed from Roche.

Johnson & Johnson has written off a further $700m against the RSV asset that it obtained with its $1.75bn purchase of Alios.

OvaScience’s cash plus a $49.5m venture capital raise leave Millendo with more than enough to get two current programs to data readouts in early 2020, company says. AMAG merges with Perosphere, adding to its hematology business.