B+L’s novel therapy for a subset of dry eye disease hits both sign and symptom endpoints in the first of two Phase III studies. The product could add value to a planned spinout.

Deal with Pfizer makes for Theravance’s third large pharma partnership since 2016. AbbVie off-loads Marinol to India’s Alkem, Bausch licenses candidate for rare form of dry eye disease from Novaliq.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Venture Funding Deals column provides a comprehensive monthly review of emerging biopharmaceutical companies that have received venture funding. This month’s column covers deals announced September and October 2018.

US VC investment in biopharma totaled $14.5bn in the first three quarters of 2018, exceeding the full-year 2017 sum of $11.9bn. UK biotech cash also is rising, benefitting new companies like Sitryx.