AlloVir/Baylor, Soligenix/Hawaii and CEL-SCI/Georgia ink coronavirus collaborations, but deal-making continues in other areas as well, including Asklepios/UNC teaming on a gene therapy for Angelman syndrome and DeMelle licensing a targeted pancreatic cancer drug from Moffitt, among others.

US FDA says as artificial intelligence and machine learning offer new opportunities to improve patient care, the agency hopes to encourage innovation by developing a draft guidance on the issue for sponsors. It also released a discussion paper outlining key issues it wants feedback on from industry and other key stakeholders.

A review of biopharma start-up dealmaking and financing activity from April through June 2017, based on data from Strategic Transactions, showed that fundraising activity more than doubled compared with the first quarter.