BioFactura, which is already using its ‘StableFast’ technology platform to develop its biosimilar ustekinumab candidate, has allied with fellow US-based biotech Rani Therapeutics to see if the biologic can be formulated into Rani’s proprietary ‘robotic’ pill.

Public Company Edition: This year is just six initial public offerings away from matching 2020’s record-breaking total of 86 biopharma IPOs in the US. Also, Idorsia raised $662.5m through the sale of convertible bonds and Cytokinetics closed a $316.3m follow-on offering. 

Private Company Edition: China-focused Nuance Pharma led recent venture capital deals with a $181m series D round, RayzeBio closed a $105m series B and SciNeuro launched with $100m plus other notable rounds from Edgewise, Reneo, BioAge and others.

Starts & Stops compiles all the clinical trial announcements, initiations, completions and suspensions tracked by MedDeviceTracker. This edition covers Feb. 25 through March 3. Rani Therapeutics announced the first-in-human experience with its novel drug-delivery capsule Feb. 28.