Industry executives, consultants and analysts speculate on what they believe the big themes, trends and events will be this year.

The Imutex joint venture between hVIVO and the SEEK Group updates promise of its universal flu vaccine candidate after additional data from a Phase IIb study showed a statistically significant effect on its primary endpoint.

Scrip journalists asked industry executives, consultants and analysts what they believe the big themes, trends and events will be in 2019. Here's what they told us about advances in therapeutic technologies and areas of clinical innovation.

Private Company Edition: Investments by CIRM, the GHIT fund and the European Investment Bank back early-stage science and treatments for neglected diseases. Also, Versant Ventures raises $700m in two funds. In VC deals, Akero raised $70m, Impel NeuroPharma brought in $67.5m.