Roche is paying $125m upfront to in-license potential blockbuster lead candidate camonsertib from Repare, which calls it a best-in-class ATR inhibitor and has the chance to opt back in on US commercialization.

Deal Snapshot: The drug maker is betting $30m up front and up to $1.1bn in milestone fees for an increasingly popular approach to oncology drug development.

Totals for aggregate deals and in the M&A, alliance and divestment categories were similar among the 10 busiest deal makers from 2020 to 2021, but COVID-19 may have driven a more hectic deal-making pace overall in 2020.

The new capital will allow the VC arm to create and finance "a new and larger portfolio of innovative companies that align with the future strategies" of Merck's businesses.