GSK takes equity stake in Spero, and global rights to tebipenem except for certain Asian markets. Merck KGaA gets rights to Nerviano’s next-generation PARP inhibitor for cancer.

Working with US FDA was key to developing clinical trials in the absence of regulatory precedents in recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, Scynexis VP tells the Pink Sheet; exposure profiles drove different trial designs for Scynexis’ Brexafemme and Mycovia’s just-launched Vivjoa.

Public Company Edition: Bausch remains the majority shareholder, but B+L is a separate operating company. Also, Rezolute raises $130m in dual financings and BridgeBio outlines job cuts and will out-license assets to conserve cash.

Totals for aggregate deals and in the M&A, alliance and divestment categories were similar among the 10 busiest deal makers from 2020 to 2021, but COVID-19 may have driven a more hectic deal-making pace overall in 2020.