Announcing its first big pharma deal, the Oxford-based biotech says there could be more to come – with mRNA pioneers also interested in shining a light on hidden drug targets.

Astellas Pharma US accounts for roughly one-third of the parent company’s annual revenues with a growing focus on immuno-oncology. The unit’s president discusses lessons from the pandemic, racial disparities in health care and business development.

With a candidate COVID-19 therapy in clinical development, the UK’s Synairgen has raised $101m on the UK’s AIM to support clinical studies and manufacturing plans.

The UK’s biotech sector sees investor interest surge during the pandemic, though IPO levels are still disappointing compared with recent years.