Novo Nordisk’s 6 August Q2 update will be scrutinized for clues on its plans for semaglutide in obesity, sales data for diabetes drugs Rybelsus and Ozempic, and likely M&A.

Novo Nordisk is paying $725m to acquire the VC-backed US biotech, Corvidia Therapeutics and its promising Phase II candidate, ziltivekimab, for chronic kidney disease, but further payments could total more than $2bn.

April had four VC rounds of $100m or more, including Allogene's $300m to develop CAR-T therapies licensed from Pfizer. Innovent Biologics raised $150m, BenevolentAI brought in $115m and Constellation garnered $100m last month.

Private Company Edition: Martin Mackay and two other former Alexion executives co-founded the rare disease start-up in January with a $37m Series A to kick things off. Also, Innovent raises $150m in venture cash, Tmunity adds $35m and Third Rock launches Cedilla.