US-based, China-focused CANbridge moves into cholestatic liver disease and enzyme replacement therapy via two deals. Plus deals involving LegoChem, TransThera, Morepen, Daiichi Sankyo, Geneseeq, Innocare, Biosplice, Sirnaomics and Walvax.

Private Company Edition: VC mega-rounds boosted the Q1 2021 total. Also, new funds from Versant, The Column Group and Rapha Capital keep cash flowing into biopharma; up to $525m is invested in Exscientia; and Arch Oncology and Boundless Bio raised $105m each, while Forge brought in $120m.

Chordia only came into being in late 2017 but has already struck its first major licensing-out deal with a major pharma firm. It is now looking ahead to taking forward a portfolio of novel oncology assets originally acquired from investor Takeda.

Sprifermin could be the first drug to affect the underlying disease process in osteoarthritis but data show no significant improvement in symptoms.