Lilly partners with Kumquat to discover small molecule IO drug. Kite, Appia Bio collaborate on allogeneic cell therapies. AstraZeneca and Regeneron pursue novel metabolic therapies targeting GPR75. Lexeo and Stelios merge to focus on gene therapies for rare cardiovascular indications.

Ogranon will pay $25m upfront for worldwide commercialization rights to ebopiprant for acute preterm labor, which currently has no approved treatments in the US.

After a brief lull in US initial public offerings, PainReform and three special purpose acquisition companies kicked off September’s IPOs. Also, Immunovant offering grossed $173.9m, Carlyle Group bought 5% stake in China’s Salubris and Erasca increased its series B to $236m. 

Positive data from a second Phase III trial will support regulatory filings for linzagolix in the US and Europe, but the GnRH agonist is behind two rival drugs: AbbVie's elagolix and Myovant's relugolix.