The FDA has cleared the novel interleukin-17 blocker izokibep (ABY-035) to proceed to Phase II clinical development in non-infectious intermediate, posterior and pan-uveitis.

Private Company Edition: The flood of venture capital into health care and life science firms continues with Perceptive closing a $1.1bn credit fund and Sanofi investing $50m in Jeito Capital. Also, Ambrx closed a $200m crossover round as biopharma remains on track for a record funding year.

J&J will pay about $6.5bn to acquire Momenta and its potential “pipeline in a pathway” with nipocalimab. Analysts expect this deal may lead to further M&A activity in the anti-FcRn space.

Also, news on transactions involving Neurocrine/Idorsia, Neurotrope/Metuchen, jCyte/Santen, PTC/Censa, Hoth/Chelexa, Skyhawk/Merck & Co., Orexo/Gaia, Karo/J&J, MaxCyte/Caribou, Mediolanum/ElsaLys, Avectas/ONK